Equality, Diversity and Human Rights (England) Policy

Introduction

Our {{org_field_name}} is fully committed to the principles and values of equality, diversity, social inclusion and protection of human rights. We aim through this policy to communicate this commitment to everyone who uses our service and who help us to deliver it.

The policy should always be referred to wherever there are differences of views based on lack of understanding or prejudice about diversity, equality and human rights.

{{org_field_name}} shows its commitment to equality, diversity and protection of human rights in its statement of purpose and all information produced for the people who use its services. This enables us to provide responsive services to meet people’s diverse needs for care and support.

We show the same commitment to equality, diversity and protection of human rights in our staff recruitment, deployment and human resources policies. (See Related Policies.)

Policy Statement

Our commitment to equality, diversity and human rights guarantees everyone receiving a service from us will have their needs comprehensively addressed and they will be treated without discrimination. This is regardless of an individual’s ethnic background, language, culture, faith, gender, age, sexual orientation or any other aspect that could result in their being socially stigmatised and discriminated against purely because they have such characteristics; or who could be vulnerable to acts of hate crime as a result.

We follow the same principles when assessing and meeting the needs of people who lack decision making capacity by treating them with respect, developing person-centred care and treatment and by following all mental capacity act best interests’ assessment and decision-making procedures.

In implementing its equality, diversity and human rights policy, {{org_field_name}} does not accept that there can be any hierarchy of protected characteristics, but aims to celebrate all individual differences, regardless of being caused by ethnic backgrounds, religion, sexual or gender diversity.

{{org_field_name}} will treat everyone equally. It recognises that treating people unequally can result in their losing their dignity, respect, self-esteem and self-worth and ability to make choices, and is in breach of their human rights.

{{org_field_name}} does not assume that equality, diversity and inclusion principles and policies apply only to staff treatment of people using the service. People using our service must also respect the ethnicity, culture, religion, gender and any disabilities of staff and not discriminate against them on any of these grounds when expressing their views and preferences.

We make clear that any form of racist and similar discriminatory behaviour from any source is always unacceptable.

We take the same approach in our external contractual relationships.

Legal Compliance

The service fully understands its legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and the Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 which underpin commitment to equality, diversity and protection of human rights.

We refer in particular to the following.

Regulation 9: Person-centred Care — requires service providers to ensure that the care and treatment of people using services must be appropriate, must meet their needs, and must reflect their preferences.
Regulation 10: Dignity and Respect — requires that people using services must always be treated with dignity and respect, including respect for personal preferences, lifestyle choices, diversity and culture.
Regulation 14: Meeting Nutritional and Hydration Needs — requires service providers (where involved in the provision of food and drink) to ensure that the nutritional and hydration needs of the people using services are met, including the meeting of any reasonable requirements of a person for food and hydration arising from the person’s preferences or their religious or cultural background.
Regulation 15: Premises and Equipment — requires that people using services can easily access a care service’s premises and use its equipment safely and effectively, and where they cannot because of their disabilities, reasonable adjustments are made in line with the Equality Act 2010 and other relevant legislation and guidance.

Our commitment to equality, diversity, and human rights runs through everything that {{org_field_name}} stands for and practices. {{org_field_name}} will always have evidence of “good” or “outstanding” practice in relation to the Care Quality Commission quality statements that reflect equality issues, particularly the following.

Caring

Treating people as individuals.

Responsive

Care provision, integration, and continuity.
Equity in access.
Equity in experiences and outcomes.

Well-led

Shared direction and culture.
Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion.

{{org_field_name}} will protect everyone from bullying, harassment, avoidable harm and abuse that may breach their human rights, including that which is associated with a person’s race and ethnicity, culture and religion, sexual orientation and preferred gender, physical and neurological disabilities and sensory impairments.

Our Approach to Equality, Diversity and Human Rights

{{org_field_name}} will:

never refuse anyone requiring its care and support on discriminatory grounds, eg because of their ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and other relevant protective characteristics as described by the Equality Act 2010 and human rights laws when they meet all other admission criteria
never provide inferior or substandard services because of a person’s ethnicity, sexual orientation or any grounds on which discrimination can occur
always assess if we need to make additional “reasonable adjustments” in line with the Equality Act 2010 for any person receiving care who has protected characteristics in addition to their other assessed care and support needs
always address a person’s communication needs which arise through their sensory, cognitive, neurological and other impairments; and acting in line with our separate policy on achieving the Accessible Information Standard
act decisively if anyone receiving our services experiences offensive or abusive treatment directed against their ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, whether gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or preferred gender
work out with each person using our service what they want and need, and how they will be provided with the required service; this will be influenced by the person’s gender, sexual orientation, culture, personal choices and other characteristics, and it should not be assumed everyone wants the same thing
encourage people receiving our care and staff to relate to one another on the basis of equality and respect for individual differences and chosen lifestyle; including anyone who defines themselves in terms of the LGBTQ+ spectrum
develop an attitude of self-awareness among the staff and people using the service to report, challenge or complain about any form of discriminatory behaviour, which they might experience; including offensive or abusive language directed against a person’s disability, ethnicity, preferred gender, sexual orientation or religion
make people using our service and staff continuously aware of the procedures for dealing with complaints and allegations of discriminatory or oppressive language or behaviour, which includes our safeguarding policies
address promptly and properly all reports, complaints, allegations and incidents of abuse that breach our approach to equality, diversity and protection of human rights
develop non-discriminatory recording practices that reflect and are consistent with equality principles through the careful use of language and terms, in which staff will be trained and expected to use.

How We Practise Equality and Diversity and Protect Human Rights

{{org_field_name}} expresses its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion by:

respecting people’s ethnic, cultural, religious practices and individual sexual identities and reassuring the people who use its services that their diverse backgrounds and individual preferences enhance the quality of experience of {{org_field_name}}
accepting people who use their services as individuals, not as cases or stereotypes, and making reasonable adjustments which if we did not make would result in their being treated unequally and unfairly; including the use of communication and digital aides and equipment
adapting and using equipment and devices that people can competently use and are always accessible to them when they need them
involving people who use the service to express their individuality and to follow their preferred lifestyle irrespective of any LGBTQ+ status, also helping them to celebrate events, anniversaries or festivals which are important to them as individuals and in relation to their sexual orientation or gender identity
only sharing sensitive information with third parties with a person’s consent and with regards to our policy on confidentiality, line with data protection requirements
showing positive leadership and having management and human resources practices that actively demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity and the protection of human rights
developing an ethos throughout {{org_field_name}} that reflects these values and principles and expecting all staff to work to equality, diversity and human rights principles and policies and to behave at all times in non-discriminatory ways
having a code of conduct that makes any form of discriminatory behaviour unacceptable; which applies to staff and people receiving care; this is rigorously observed and monitored accordingly
providing training, supervision and support to enable staff to carry out care in line with our expectations on equality, diversity and human rights
addressing rigorously and fully in line with {{org_field_name}}’s complaints procedure, any complaint which a person using the service or someone acting on their behalf might make about the behaviour of another or others that is causing them offence because it potentially breaches {{org_field_name}}’s policy on equality, diversity and human rights
addressing any acts of abuse or hate crime towards an individual because of their ethnicity, religion or LGBTQ+ spectrum characteristics through {{org_field_name}}’s safeguarding policy and procedures, involving and co-operating with the local safeguarding authority as required
encouraging people who are vulnerable or at risk from experiencing abuse because of their ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation and LGBTQ+ spectrum identities to obtain support through local or national support groups and organisations and advocacy schemes
carrying out regular assessments of the impact of our approach and policies on equality, diversity and human rights on people who use the service and our service provision generally.

Related Policies

{{org_field_name}} has other policies that reflect and express its commitment to equality, diversity and human rights.

People receiving care

Accessible Information
Achieving the Accessible Information Standard
Commitment to and Upholding of Human Rights
Meeting Communication Needs
Duty of Candour
Respecting Religion and Beliefs
People Receiving Care Who Lack Mental Capacity to Take Decisions: Implementation of the Mental Capacity Act in Care Homes
Human Rights and Deprivation of Liberty
Promoting the Welfare of People Who Use Services
Safeguarding People Who Use Services from Abuse and Harm (Various)
Sharing Information About People Receiving Care

Staff

Equal Opportunities
Employees with Disabilities
Employees’ Religion and Belief Observance
Gender Reassignment
Harassment
Neurodiversity
Racial Harassment
Safe Recruitment and Selection

Training

{{org_field_name}} provides comprehensive training and support in its policies on equality, diversity and human rights.

Staff new to care work will receive induction training to achieve Care Certificate Standard 4, Equality and Diversity.

Where practical and appropriate, {{org_field_name}} will develop its pro-rights anti-discriminatory training with the people who are at risk from abuse and discrimination because of their characteristics and chosen lifestyles.

All training will be regularly refreshed and updated.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}.

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}

D357. Equality, Diversity and Human Rights