Disability
Disability as a concept covers extremely diverse conditions. Not only are there a great many different impairments and health conditions covered by the Disability Discrimination Acts (DDAs), but impairments vary from person to person as to how they can affect everyday life. According to the DDA 1995 (as amended) ‘a person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. Physical impairment includes a number of long-term conditions such as HIV/AIDS.
In the UK, the DDA 1995 prohibits direct discrimination on the grounds of disability and makes it unlawful for employers and service providers to treat disabled people less favourably, without justification, for a reason that relates to their impairment. It also requires them to make reasonable adjustments or accommodations to ensure that disabled people are not put at a substantial disadvantage.
In Great Britain, the DDA 2005 introduced the duty for public authorities to actively promote equality of opportunity for disabled people, known as the disability equality duty. The DDA 2005 does not extend to Northern Ireland since disability discrimination is a transferred matter under the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Instead, separate secondary legislation and Codes of Practice are required, as set out in Schedule 8 of the Act.
Under the general disability equality duty, NHS organisations in their roles both as employers and service providers are required to:
- promote equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people
- eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Act
- eliminate harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability
- promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
- encourage participation by disabled people in public life
- take steps to take account of disabled people’s impairments, even where that involves treating them more favourably than other people.
- Find out more about the legislation in Great Britain
- Find out more about the legislation in Northern Ireland
Advice on careers and employment, equipment and aids, sources of financial assistance, general support and information on legislation preventing discrimination.
Disabled doctors and disabled medical students: a web resource
A report on the inequalities in access to healthcare experienced by disabled people and the ways in which healthcare professionals can help to break down disabling barriers.
Disability equality within healthcare: The role of healthcare professionals
A report which discusses disability equality in the medical profession and looks at the accessibility of medical careers for disabled people.
Disability equality in the medical professionDisability links
Links to sources of further information related to disability