Promoting Equality for
Clients
Good Practice for Carers
Good Practice

Health and social care practitioners must uphold
public trust and confidence in social care services, in
particular, by not discriminating or condoning
discrimination unlawfully or unjustifiably against
service users, carers or colleagues.
Importance of Supporting
Equality in Care

Vulnerable individuals.

Care situation puts power in hands of carer
not client or service user.

Mechanisms/strategies are needed to
counteract this in the care setting.
Key Roles of HSC Workers

Interact with individuals, families, carers,
groups and communities to achieve change
and development and to improve life
opportunities.

Address behaviour which presents a risk to
individuals, families, carers, groups and
communities.

Advocate with, and on behalf of, individuals,
families, carers, groups and communities.
Manage complex ethical issues, dilemmas
and conflicts.

Empowerment & Advocacy

Quality care seeks to address equality and prevent
discrimination through advocacy and empowerment.

Empowerment – giving back power to client or
service user.

Advocacy – speaking on behalf of client or service
user.
Avoiding Discriminatory
Terminology

Consider the language used when referring
to or communicating with people.

Infantilisation takes away the identity of an
individual.

Avoid labelling individuals/groups and the
categorisation of people as ‘THEM’.
Equality in Care

Endeavours to promote a “level playing field”.

Recognises differences positively.

Involves positive action being taken in order
to identify, recognise and maintain the rights
of individuals.
Legislation Policy and Procedures
Care service providers must adhere to
Local, UK and European Legislation and
organisational Codes of Practice for:





Data Protection
Health and Safety
Risk Assessment and Management
Employment Practices
Protection of individuals from
danger, harm or abuse (POVA)
Legislation Policy and Procedures

Making and dealing with complaints and
whistle blowing for staff and service users.

Multi-disciplinary and Multi-agency work,
where appropriate.
Organisational Requirements
All staff need to be aware of, and put into
practice legal and organisational requirements
on:





Equality
Diversity and Rights
Discrimination
Confidentiality
Sharing of information (Data Protection)
Organisational Requirements
Staff also need to ensure the needs of
individuals are met when promoting:



Choice
Well being
Protection
Holistic Person Centred Approach




Individual preferences and the best interests of
service user are recognised and met.
Active support provided for individuals who need it.
Recognise the uniqueness of individuals and their
circumstances.
Empowerment – enabling the development of
independence, personal responsibility and the
making and communication of own decisions.
Methods of Working
These should support:
 Equality and diversity
 Ensuring people’s rights are met
 An individual’s preferred method of
communication.
 Respect for others’ ideas, views and
principles.
 Ethics
Promoting Equality in the Workforce



Respond appropriately to discriminatory incidents
and promote a safe and positive working
environment.
Develop and support internal consultation, focus
and self-support groups with staff.
Ensure staff are adequately represented in relation
to their rights and are able to seek redress.
Dealing with Conflict
Staff need to follow organisational
Code of Practice for :





Managing ethical dilemmas
Managing conflict
Challenging discrimination
Grievance procedure
Whistle blowing
Equal Opportunities Policies
Help Organisations:
 Comply with legislation.
 Express their ethical belief in equality.
 Promote better use of resources through policies which
state entitlements and rights.
 Encourage diversity in the workforce and diversity
perspectives on service provision.
 Acknowledge the pervasive nature of overt and covert
discrimination in health and social care.
 Publicise an organisation’s intentions to provide services
in an anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive way.
Reviewing Policies and Procedures


Service delivery and employment
practices should be systematically
monitored, to eliminate discriminatory
behaviours, policies and practices, and
promote equality of opportunity.
Combating discrimination has an intrinsic
value, and this is known as the 'social
justice‘ case for equality.
Reviewing Policies and Procedures
The strengths of this position are:


It enables effective monitoring of
services and employment practices.
It has produced positive action initiatives
that have promoted greater equality of
opportunity within organisations.
Reviewing Policies and Procedures




To ensure ongoing good practice.
To ensure currency and relevance.
To ensure compliance with current legislation and
government initiatives.
Staff need to know how to access, evaluate and
influence workplace policies.
Supportive Structures in the
Organisation



Access to training and learning can promote
equality and diversity through a competent
staff group.
Use of positive action and mentoring
schemes.
Access to regular appraisal and supervision
which includes active and critical reflection on
practice.
Supportive Structures in the
Organisation

Celebrating diversity and skilled performance.

Setting standards and publicising achievements and
failures of the organisation with the community and
staff, with a follow up action plan.
Staff Training and Development




Maintaining currency of practice.
Carrying out appropriate reading or research.
Attending relevant training to update skills
and knowledge.
Provision of inductions, supervision,
mentoring, and appraisal for staff.
Staff Training and Development



Probably most important.
Staff training underpins all issues.
Training must be ongoing, and meet the
needs of individual members of staff as well
as organisational requirements.
Summary

Equality, Diversity and Rights: Complex area which requires
strong leadership and resources to support moral, legal and
business reasons for equality.

Knowledge of evidence based and critical reflective practice.

Increasing service user involvement and participation strategies.

Understanding relationships between wider political, economic
and social factors, as well as individual ones to inform
professional advocacy.
Summary


Health and social care practitioners need to
develop understanding of people they are
trying to help and how they may be affected
by discrimination.
Assessment of health and social care needs
need to consider sociological factors, such as
sexism, racism, disablism and their impact
on individuals/ groups.
Summary
HSC Practitioners need to:
 Ensure their actions do not contribute to
discrimination/oppression, or rely on
discriminatory stereotypes.
 Take reasonable steps to prevent
discrimination arising and challenge it when it
does.
Summary
Discrimination:
 Is not simply the result of prejudice.
 Can also be institutionalised – built into
systems and structures as well as cultural
patterns and assumptions.
 Can be unintentional
 “our concerns should be with outcomes, not
simply intentions”
(Adams, 2007:45)
Case Study
In a seminar on anti-racism, George made
the point that in his service, they dealt with
people from such a wide range of ethnic
backgrounds that they could not possibly
hope to address everyone’s cultural needs.
“It’s not racism”, he said, “it’s just the way it
is.”
Is this attitude to service users’ needs
acceptable?
Response




If people from ethnic minorities do not have their
needs met to the same level as other service users,
then this amounts to racism.
It may not be deliberate or personal racism.
The lack of resources produces an unfair outcome
for individuals from different ethnic backgrounds –
the result is racial discrimination.
This is an example of institutional racism.
(ibid)