Read the articles
The strategic role of equality and diversity in health
Promoting access to health for black, Asian and minority ethnic communities
Offender and ex offender health
Offender and ex offender health: part two
Sefton's Transgender Volunteer Project
Sefton's Transgender Volunteer Project: part two
Health needs of Gypsies and Travellers
Health needs of Gypsies and Travellers - continued
Removing the barriers for health for people with disabilities
Removing the barriers for health for people with disabilities - continued
PDF version Every member of society is likely, at some point, to be a recipient of health and social care. The Department of Health can only achieve its aim of better health, care and well-being for all, by building an explicit commitment to equality, diversity and human rights throughout the health and social care system. All public organisations including the Department of Health and public providers and commissioners of health and social care services have a duty to promote equality. Successfully delivering these duties is a core part of the health and social care system’s objective to offer services that deliver high quality care for all.
To do this, the diversity of the population has to be recognised, in policy development through to service delivery and patient care, acknowledging the diverse experiences, aspirations and needs of staff, patients and service.
The Department of Health and local health and social care organisations continue to take proactive steps to address unequal access and outcomes experienced by some sections of the community. DH is working to ensure the principles and practicalities of fairness, equality, diversity and human rights are a central to the work of the Department.
This page provides a round-up of all the equality and diversity legislation that public bodies must be aware of, plus external links to the full legal texts.
Civil Partnerships Act 2004:
Provides legal recognition and parity of treatment for same-sex couples and married couples, including employment benefits and pension rights.
Access the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 at the website of the Office of Public Sector Information
Disability Discrimination Act 1995
Outlaws the discrimination of disabled people in employment, the provision of goods, facilities and services or the administration or management of premises.
Access the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 at the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website
Disability Discrimination Amendment Act 2005
Introduces a positive duty on public bodies to promote equality for disabled people.
Access the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 at the OPSI website
Employment Equality (Age) Regulation 2006
Protects against discrimination on grounds of age in employment and vocational training. Prohibits direct and indirect discrimination, victimisation, harassment and instructions to discriminate.
Access the Employment (Age) Regulation 2006 at the OPSI website
Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulation 2003
The directive protects against discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief in employment, vocational training, promotion and working conditions.
Access the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulation 2003 at the OPSI website
The Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations 2005
Introduces new definitions of indirect discrimination and harassment, explicitly prohibits discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity leave, sets out the extent to which it is discriminatory to pay a woman less than she would otherwise have been paid due to pregnancy or maternity issues.
Access the Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations 2005 at the OPSI website
Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2003
The directive protects against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in employment, vocational training, promotion, and working conditions.
Access the Employment Equality (sexual orientations) Regulation 2003 at the OPSI website
Equal Pay Act 1970 (Amended)
This gives an individual a right to the same contractual pay and benefits as a person of the opposite sex in the same employment, where the man and the woman are doing: like work; work rated as equivalent under an analytical job evaluation study; or work that is proved to be of equal value.
Access the Equal Pay Act (Amendment) 1970 at the OPSI website
Equality Act 2006
Establishes a single Commission for Equality and Human Rights by 2007 that replaces the three existing commissions. Introduces a positive duty on public sector bodies to promote equality of opportunity between women and men and eliminate sex discrimination. Protects access discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief in terms of access to good facilities and services.
Access the Equality Act 2006 at the OPSI website
Further information at the Women and Equality Unit website
Gender Recognition Act 2004
The purpose of the Act is to provide transsexual people with legal recognition in their acquired gender. Legal recognition follows from the issue of a full gender recognition certificate by a gender recognition panel.
Access the Gender Recognition Act 2004 at the OPSI website
Race Relations Act 1976
The Act prohibits discrimination on racial grounds in the areas of employment, education, and the provision of goods, facilities, services and premises.
Further information at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) website.
Race Relations Amendment Act 2000
Places a statutory duty on all public bodies to promote equal opportunity, eliminate racial discrimination and promote good relations between different racial groups.
Access the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 at the OPSI website
Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulation 2003
Introduced new definitions of indirect discrimination and harassment, new burden of proof requirements, continuing protection after employment ceases, new exemption for a determinate job requirement and the removal of certain other exemptions.
Access the Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) 2003 at the OPSI website
Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006
The Act seeks to stop people from intentionally using threatening words or behaviour to stir up hatred against somebody because of what they believe.
Access the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 at the OPSI website
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
The Act makes it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of sex. Sex discrimination is unlawful in employment, education, advertising or when providing housing, goods, services or facilities. It is unlawful to discriminate because someone is married, in employment or advertisements for jobs.
Access the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 at the Press for Change website
The Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999
The Act seeks to prevent sex discrimination relating to gender reassignment. It clarified the law for transsexual people in relation to equal pay and treatment in employment and training.
Access the Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999 at the Press for Change website
http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=8599326