Whipps Cross University Hospital

Disability Equality Duty

The new duty came into force on 4 December 2006. This requires all public organisations to:

• Publish a Disability Equality Scheme and a three year Disability Action Plan.
• Involve disabled people in producing the Scheme and Action Plan.
• Demonstrate they have taken actions and achieved appropriate outcomes.
• Report on progress.
• Review and revise the Scheme.

This follows on from the Disability Discrimination Act, which came into force in 1995.

Who are 'disabled people'?

The Disability Discrimination Act says you are disabled if you have:

• A mental or physical impairment.
• This has an adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
• The adverse effect is substantial.
• The adverse effect is long-term (meaning it has lasted for 12 months, or is likely to last for more than 12 months or for the rest of your life).

Click here for further clarification from the Disability Rights Commission.

What is a disability?

Disabilities can include the following:

• Physical impairment, such as difficulty using your arms or mobility issues which means using a wheelchair or crutches.
• Sensory impairment, such as being blind or having a serious visual impairment, or being deaf or having a serious hearing impairment.
• Mental health conditions, such as depression or schizophrenia.
• Learning disability or difficulty such as Down's Syndrome or dyslexia, or cognitive impairment such as autistic spectrum disorder.
• Long-standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease or epilepsy.
• Multiple impairments

What can I do?

First ask a disabled person how they would like you to assist them, this could be as simple as going directly to someone who is hard of hearing instead of calling their name out, or allowing a person to make an appointment by email or letter if they find it difficult to talk on the telephone.

We can all make a difference by increasing our understanding and knowledge of disabled people and their needs, and using it in our day-to-day jobs.

For more information, click here for 'You can make difference: Improving hospital services for disabled people'

Feedback

Take a look at our scheme and action plan and if you are already doing some good work let us know, or if you have more ideas, just get in touch:

• Email: equality@whippsx.nhs.uk
• Telephone: 020 8539 5522 ext: 5919 or ext 5304
• Write to: Jonathan Joyce, Equalities & Diversity Manager, Human Resources, Whipps Cross University Hospital, Whipps Cross Road, Leytonstone, London, E11 1NR