1.1. Define the terms:
Equality
Equality entails ensuring that individuals have equal rights and opportunities to realize their full potential, as well as being treated fairly and with dignity and respect. Equality also means being free of discrimination based on one’s background, race, lifestyle, or abilities. Equality ensures that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, the right to work, and the right to equal protection.
It is the responsibility of the service provider in health and social care settings to promote equal rights and access to services when needed. This is especially important for people who have a disability, an illness, or are limited by their age.
Diversity
Diversity refers to what makes each of us unique and includes, among other things, our backgrounds, personalities, life experiences, and points of view.
Diversity also entails recognising, respecting, and valuing differences based on ethnicity, gender, age, race, religion, handicap, and sexual orientation. Individual variations and experiences, such as communication style, professional route, life experience, educational background, geographic area, income level, marriage status, parenting status, and other influences on personal perspectives, are also taken into account.
Workplace diversity requires a diverse workforce in terms of colour, age, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. In other words, when the medical and administrative teams of a health and social care facility have a diverse set of experiences and backgrounds, it is referred to as a diversified set of experiences and backgrounds.
Health and social care diversity in today’s society can refer to many characteristics, including but not limited to colour, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, political ideas, education, physical abilities and disabilities, socioeconomic background, language, and culture.
Inclusion
Inclusion is described as being accepted as a member of a group or society as a whole. Inclusion is related to diversity and equality. Understanding someone’s individuality allows you to include them and treat them fairly and equitably. When people are unable to join in events, they may feel excluded.
Services must aid individuals in all facets of their lives so they can take care of themselves and prevent issues from developing. This will guarantee that individuals’ differences are valued, that they are treated equally and that they are assisted to engage in whatever they desire.
Discrimination
Discrimination occurs when a person is treated unfairly or when their dignity is violated. Individual members among one religion or ethnic group may engage in behaviour that is aimed to have a harmful effect on members of another racial group community.
Prejudice can cause people to regard certain individuals or groups as inferior, to treat people who are different from them unfairly, or to disregard the feelings, opinions, or needs of people who are different from them entirely. As a result, discrimination occurs, which is defined as the unfair or prejudicial treatment of various groups of people.
Other answers in the full document:
- 1.2. Explain how rights are promoted in health and social care services.
- 1.3. Discuss ethical dilemmas that may arise when balancing individual rights and duty of care
- 2.1. Explain how to promote equality and support diversity.
- 2.2. Describe how to challenge those not working inclusively in a way that promotes change
- 2.3. Explain how to support others in promoting equality and rights
- 3.1. Summarise legislation and codes of practice relating to equality, diversity, inclusion and discrimination.
- 4.1. Evaluate the role of the health and social care practitioner in meeting individuals’ needs through inclusive practice