dental practice and equality

Question 1

what is diversity

Answer 1

to do with acknowledgement of alterity among people in terms of their community, culture, beliefs, life experiences, individuality

Question 2

what is equality

Answer 2

do with fairness of opportunity and observing the rights of people so that their alterity is not discriminated against

Question 3

what is equity

Answer 3

The term “equity” refers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from equality: Whereas equality means providing the same to all, equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalance

Treating people justly does not mean treating everyone identically, if it disregards features of diversity that can place people at an unfair advantage in society

Question 4

9 protected characteristcs in the Equality Act 2010

Answer 4

age
disability
gender reassignment
marriage and civil partnership
pregnancy and maternity
race and ethnicity
sex
sexual orientation

Question 5

disability defintion

equality act 2010

Answer 5

“…has a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”

Question 6

disability is based on

Answer 6

impariment
* Mental, or physical, or a combination

Is determined by the effect on the person

Need not be linked to medical illness
Does not require a known caus
May not be particularly visible

Can be fluctuating, recurring, or progressive

The law also applies to discrimination on the basis of past impairment

Question 7

direct discrimination

Answer 7

treating people less favourably because of a protected characteristic

Question 8

indirect discrimination

Answer 8

putting people with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage

Question 9

associative discrimination

Answer 9

because of another person’s protected characteristic

Question 10

perceived discrimination

Answer 10

when it is believed that a person has a protected characteristic

Question 11

harassment

Answer 11

through violating a person’s dignity, or a degrading, humiliating, hostile, intimidating, or offensive environment

Question 12

victimisation

Answer 12

detriment to a person who is making use of the Equality Act 2010 or is thought to be doing so

Question 12

victimisation

Answer 12

detriment to a person who is making use of the Equality Act 2010 or is thought to be doing so

Question 13

categories of discrimination

7

Answer 13

• direct discrimination
• indirect discrimination
• associative discrimination
• perceived discrimination
• harassment
• victimisation
• instruction to discriminate

Question 14

pregnant women protected by

Answer 14

Equality Act 2010 imposes an obligation to ensure that pregnant women are not discriminated against.

Question 15

e.g. instruction to discriminate

Answer 15

Excluding patients from your practice based on their protected characteristics is direct discrimination, and asking a receptionist to turn them away is instruction to discriminate

Question 16

zero tolerance of any harassment to staff can be what

Answer 16

a defence

equality act allows employees to bring a claim against dentists for the actions of a third party (e.g. something a patient does).
So a sign detailing zero tolerance of any harassment of staff could be a defence.

Question 17

changing our usual practice for a pt can be seen as

Answer 17

direct discrimination if they have a protected characteristic

and placing restrictions may be indirect discrimination

Question 18

equal opportunities policy is needed

Answer 18

to defend against discrimination claims

without it virtually impossible to defend against discrimination claim, regardless of what took place, due to established precedent

Further, staff must be trained in the content of this Policy, as there is no defence if it is not followed or not known about.