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Topic: Equality and Diversity at work; Opportunities and Challenges:The Employment of Disabled Workers in the Health Sector (NHS): Opportunities and Challenges (1991-
2010)IntroductionPaid work is seen as a key indicator of social inclusion (Department for Education and Employment,
2001, cited in Swain et al, .2004, p.195), but unfortunately, everyone is not employed.There is discrimination against disabled people in most types of employment,( Burchardt ,2000, cited in
Swain et.al,.2004,p.212 ),though it is considered that health and caring professionals would be
knowledgeable regarding the disabled, there is evidence to suggest that, this it is not the case
(Abberley ,1995, cited in J Swain et.al,.2004,p.212 ),when disabled are employed in the health sector
there is evidence that colleagues and patients discriminate against them (Hlne Mulholland,2004) it
has been seen that as many as ninety percent of health sector ignores disability guidelines (Equal
opportunities Review, 2003),In spite of the disability act of 1995, which is aimed at addressing these barriers the problems still
persist, the aim of this paper is to explore the existing literature on disabled and the barriers they face
and opportunities available working for the NHS.Equality and Discrimination: Challenges for DisabledDisabled people are excluded from the health and caring Professions because of their presumed
inability to cope, the effect they may have on patients and clients, and the assumption of proneness to
accidents (French, 2001, cited in J Swain et.al,.2004 ). The views of health and caring professionals may
be even more negative than those of the general public, due to the unequal relationship they have
with disabled people and the fact that they come into contact with disabled people only when they
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need their help (Gething, 1993 cited in J Swain et.al,.2004), the introduction of equality policies has no
effect on the amount of discrimination faced by disabled workers and they are almost twice as likely
to be jobless Reynolds (2003) head of employment relations at Royal college of Nursing, Josie Irwin, is
of the opinion that governments policy on equality and diversity had not had a significant impact
Fuller, (2006),the IRS tracked efforts to approaches to employ disabled people, it focused on
recruitment and selection practices, positive action measure, making reasonable adjustments and
evidence of flexible working,the result reflects a general slowing down of employer activity with
regard to disability and employment,McGeer(2003) The disability equality duty introduced by the
disability Discrimination Act 2005 , is not just about making adjustments to buildings, It is about
including disabled people into all policies in practice and demonstrable ways from the outset , Godwin
(2006)Although a high proportion of trusts in a survey were found to be collecting workforce data, the
process was hampered by a number of problems. A high proportion of trusts cited a lack of resources
sixty five percent (65), as well as IT inadequacies sixty percent (60) as posing problems. Staff reluctance
to provide information was referred to by a further forty two percent (42). An even greater problem
was the Reluctance to provide information, some staff refused to classify themselves as disabled (Equal
Opportunities Review, 1998)Despite the introduction of equality policies, disabled people are almost twice as likely to be jobless
and discrimination is still widespread, Reynolds, (2003), disabled people were not involved or to
indicate how they were involved and the actions taken as a result of their input is a common weakness
observed by the Disability Rights Commission before its abolition in October 2007, the health sector
was in many ways the weakest. Gooding, (2008),people with mental health problems always face the
low expectations of many health and social care staff and only six percent(6) believed they give work a
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high priority, there is a culture of low expectation and the belief that they will never work again,
Silcox(2004),when employers ask job applicants whether or not they have a disability, it is worth
considering the usefulness of the information, it should not therefore, be assumed that if a job
applicant ticks the disability box as part of any pre-employment health screening process that that
individual will continue to have a disability in the future Some conditions can be successfully treated ,
Suff (2008a),the NHS takes equal opportunities for disables seriously, says the NHS confederation,
which shapes policies but it is true that NHS workers who are disabled are on average less satisfied
with their working conditions Berry,(2004)an inquiry chaired by Karnon Monaghan, into professional
regulation and access to disable people to work in teaching, nursing and social work disclosed that
considerable part of the legislation of the Disability Rights Commission lay down generalised standards
of good health of fitness for entry,thererby undermining disability rights (Occupational Medicine 2008)Equality and Discrimination: Opportunities for DisabledThe NHS Direct stated in its policy statement that as a commitment to promote equality and diversity
in its workforce thatNHS Direct will take every possible step to ensure that individuals are treated
equally and fairly and that decisions on recruitment, selection, training, promotion, career
management and provision of other benefits are based solely on objective and job related criteria
(NHS Direct, p.3, 2008)The biggest changes made to the Discrimination Act of 2005 is the removal of the provision that mental
illness must be clinically proven in order to be regarded as a disability, this according to the former
secretary of state for works and pension Alan Johnson will provide protection against discrimination
for at least one hundred and seventy five thousand people Rubenstein,(2005),Nicky and Jill(2007,p.1)
stated that, there are efforts to enable social workers experiencing mental health problems to remain
or return to work through the support of social work . Recruitment and selection procedures are being
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reviewed by a number of NHS trust and they are training their managers on Disability Discrimination
Act, provisions for making reasonable adjustments to the workplace, some NHS trust, like Dorset
health care ,has initiated processes to recruit former patients of the trust who have mental health
problems or learning disabilities.( Equal Opportunities Review,1998)most parts of the NHS trust has
policies devised by the NHS in its code of practise to protect the interest of minority groups in
employment by ensuring that recruitment, training, staff development and promotion procedures are
systematic, visible and fair(Ann Wall,2002),the campaign, open your mind is part of NHSs initiative to
support disabled workers launch an initiative in march 2010 to end stigma against NHS workers
suffering from mental ill health conditions and help NHS trust create a better working environment for
all staff Martindale(,2010). A case in perspective is that of NHS Bradford and Airedale trust, increased
the involvement of disabled people, the introduction of a staff disability network and projects to
enhance the recruitment of disabled people, the remarkable factor in NHS Bradford and Airedales
initiative in managing equality is the involvement of disabled people in shaping the culture of the
organisation, there are more members of staff registered as disables and there is a growing
confidence amongst staff that they can be open about their disability, Suff (2010a, p,2)
ConclusionAccording to Lynne Carter, head of equality and diversity NHS Bradford and Airedale and as mentioned
by (Suff, 2010b, p.2), There is still a significant amount of stigma associated with disability in society
generally.Simpson(1999) suggested that People with disabilities often face barriers when trying to work in the
NHS, these barriers include the lack of understanding of disability by NHS staff and also poor physical
access to buildings and environments that makes it almost difficult to find their way about or
communicate with staff, there are examples of good practice where NHS trusts and health care
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Hellen, M. (2004) Disabled Doctors And Nurses Face Abuse, Guardian [Online].Available at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2004/Jan/27/Disability.nhsstaff.Martindale, N. (2010) Mental health at work: New NHS employers at work, Personnel Today, p.1.
XpertHR[Online]. Available at: http//.www.experthr.co.uk/ (Accessed: 18 October 2011).McGeer, P. (2003) Managing disability 2003: a progress report, IRS Employment Review, (785),
XpertHR[Online].Available at: http//.www.experthr.co.uk/ (Accessed: 17 October 2011).NHS Direct (2008) Equality opportunities policy. Available at:
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/....HRAndEmployment1011008-Equal opportunities policy.ashx
(Accessed 18 October 2011).Reynolds, E. (2003) Equality measurement not enough, IRS Employment Review, (770), p. 2. XpertHR
[Online]. Available at: http//.www.xperthr.co.uk/ (Accessed: 17 October 2011).Rubenstein, M. (2005) Disability discrimination Act 2005: an EOR guide, Equal Opportunities Review,
(141), p.2. XpertHR[Online]. Available at: http//.www.experthr.co.uk/ (Accessed: 18 October 2011).Silcox, S. (2004) Work can help beat mental health social exclusion, IRS Employment Review, (804), p.
3. XpertHR[Online]. Available at: http//.www.experthr.co.uk/ (Accessed: 18 October 2011).Suff, R. (2010b) Improved disability equality at NHS Bradford and Airedale, IRS Employment Review, p.
2. XpertHR[Online]. Available at: http//.www.experthr.co.uk/ (Accessed: 18 October 2011).Suff, R. (2008a) Background checks in recruitment: absences and health assessments IRS Employment
Review, (896), p. 8. XpertHR[Online]. Available at: http//.www.experthr.co.uk/ (Accessed: 18 October
2011).
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Wall, A. and Owen, B. (2002) Health policy: Inequality in health and health care, dawsonera [Online].
Available at: http://www.dawsonera.com (Accessed: 21 October 2011).