NHS Discriminate The Inequalities Within The Health Care Profession

The Equality Act helps the NHS discriminate the inequalities within the health care profession. Training on The Equality Act is often given with the first session being very in depth and then staff should receive refresher courses every year. Throughout hospitals there should be wide variety of resources advertising The Equality Act such as posters, leaflets and TV adverts.

There are 9 protected characteristics which are:

• Age

• Disability

• Gender (male/female)

• Gender reassignment

• Marriage and civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Race

• Religion or belief

• Sexual orientation

Equality within the healthcare profession plays a huge importance throughout its structure, the equality act ‘simplifies, strengthens and harmonises’

No one whilst at work or patients should be discriminated just because of their sexuality; it shouldn’t matter to people who or what you like as long as you are good at your job and you can deliver appropriate care when needed.

Prejudice and discrimination can lead to disempowerment of individuals due to many reasons. Stereo typing can lead to disempowerment no matter what your gender, weight or sexuality is. Many people stereo type without even realising; Nurses are often stereo typed due to the fact of how they are perceived in the media, films for example, they are perceived as ‘naughty nurses’ therefore its not painting the real picture of the NHS and Nurses may feel like they can’t progress in their chosen profession because they are seen as something their not and their not being respected as they should.

‘Nurses have long suffered from stereotyping. Painted as everything from the naughty nurse, to the battle axe matron or the angel in a crisis they have seen it all. These stereotypes may seem like harmless fun, but they are patronizing, undermine the public image of nurses and call into question their professional

Prejudice can be demonstrated by individuals who may show a negative attitude towards groups of people or individuals within society without knowing anything about them. The judgments are based on stereotyping. The danger of prejudice in the NHS is that people may be treated to a disadvantage just because of how they look therefore there is a lack of knowledge about them.

There are different types of discrimination;

Direct discrimination: treating one person less favorably based on there gender, race or disability.

Indirect Discrimination: when there is a practice rule or policy that will apply to everyone in the same way.

Victimisation: when an individual can face challenges in the workplace but there is no protection for that employee.

Harassment: any unwanted comments made whether it be written or spoken, on social media, sexual comments that can be degrading or offensive.

Institutional Discrimination: Unfair prejudice against an individual in the workplace.

Bullying: can intimidate, degrade a person it can be delivered verbally, physically and