Equality Act 2010: Analysis of Social Policy and Healthcare Reforms

This report examines the Equality Act 2010, a pivotal piece of UK legislation addressing discrimination and promoting equality across various sectors. The report delves into the act's origins, tracing its roots in earlier anti-discrimination laws and the evolution of social policy in the UK, including reforms following the Second World War and the influence of the Beveridge Report. It outlines the nine protected characteristics under the Act, focusing on disability and its implications for healthcare, particularly within the NHS. The report analyzes the impact of the Equality Act on workplace practices, including direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimization, while also exploring the roles of various stakeholders, including government, industries, and employees, in its implementation. Furthermore, it discusses the challenges faced by organizations, such as cost and employee perceptions, in adapting to the Act, and the factors influencing its adoption, including enforcement laws, individual beliefs, and customer receptiveness. The report also highlights the positive influence of individual behavior and organizational culture in promoting equality and inclusion.

Running head: EQUALITY ACT 2010 1
Equality Act 2010
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Task One
Section 1
i.
Social policy refers to policies that the government adopts in welfare as well as social
protection of individuals within the state (Wadham, Ruebain, & Robinson, 2012). On the other
hand organizational policy refers to procedures, rules and guidelines that are adopted by
organizations in guiding their operations.
An example of social policy in the united kingdom is the provision of universal health care to the
citizens through national health service(NHS).
An example of organizational policy is the medical allowance offered by private hospital as a
motivating factor to the employees.

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ii.
In the United Kingdom, it is the central government that directs the activities of the executive
arm of the government and hence, it has direct influence on the welfare system.
The welfare administration in the country has undergone two key reforms since it was
initiated. The first phase since the second world war started in 1960s and the welfare planning
was adopted with an aim of controlling the public expenditure by the treasury (Wadham,
Ruebain, & Robinson, 2012). The aim of this reform was to promote the efficiency in the
management of social programs as well as economic planning. The plan was for the
treasury to allocate funds to departments and the role of the department was to allocate these
resources to the services. The second phase was in 1980s and 1990s that involved the
restructuring of the civil service. The British social policy was based on the 1598 Poor Laws
that continued till 1598 with the Elizabeth 1601 poor law providing for compulsory poor rate,
provision of the overseers of relief and creating job opportunities for the poor. In 1942, the
Beveridge report proposed a system that focused on national insurance in regards to family
allowances, national health and full employment. In 1979, restructuring occurred in Britain
and the overreliance on out-dated industry was downplayed. The welfare of the state has been
significantly enhanced. The equality act of 2010 not only protected employees but also other
individuals in the society. Discriminating of people on the basis of poverty is illegal hence
necessitating the need to take care of the rights of the poor people in the country (Gov. UK,
2015).

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iii.
There have been significant changes since 1906 in regards to the welfare changes. This liberal
welfare reforms formed the foundation of modern welfare in the country. The welfare was
extended for a period of forty years. The early social welfare was not triggered by the need to
take care of the citizens but by the overriding need to calm social unrest in the country. This
deferred from the National assistance act of 1948 whose main focus was to enable the poor
acquire basic needs of life. The National Health services were directed towards increased access
to health among the citizens as opposed to the previous acts that focused on other elements
(Britpolitics, 2016).
iv.
The theory of post war consensus is used in explaining the development of consensus
between 1945 and 1979. The consensus was developed by democratic principles. In spite of
this there were sceptics of the post war consensus. Ideological divergence is related to the
conflict in regards to the conflict over the origins of the NHS as well as difference among
individuals in regards to the aspect of nationalism (The Guardian, 2012). The breakdown of

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post war consensus was also as a result of the implementation of Thatcherism in 1980s.
Welfare was noted to reduce search of employment in the country resulting to reconsideration
of the balance that could be struck between welfare provided to individuals in the country and
their motivation to look for work (Britpolitics, 2016).
The interested parties and the stakeholders during the time were the central government in
making legislations related to the programs as witnessed by the reforms undertaken by the
government and followed the William Beverage report. Other players were major industries
such as Roll Royce and then employees that were experiencing high level of unemployment
that called for a welfare state.
Section 2
i.
The Equality Act of 2010 protects people from discrimination of individuals in the work place.
It was developed with an aim of replacing the previous anti-discrimination laws in the country
and sets out ways in which unlawful treatment of individuals in the country should be dealt
with. Before the act was incepted, it was preceded by sex discrimination act of 1975, the race
relations act of 1976 and the disability discrimination act of 1995. Under the act, the nine
protected characteristics includes (Bucks, 2016):
1. Age
2. Disability
3. Gender reassignment
4. Marriage as well as civil partnership

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5. Pregnancy
6. Race
7. Religion
8. sex
9. Sex orientation (LGB)
ii.
The second protected characteristic under the Equality Act of 2010 is that of people
with disability. The NHS has been accused of neglecting of people with disabilities
resulting to increased deaths among such individuals. In particular, NHS was
accused of neglecting in learning institutions where they are always neglected. NHS
has also been accused of providing poor care to individuals within the United
Kingdom of Britain. Moreover deaths among the disabled have been associated with
poor handling of such disabled people by health facility where the care delivered to
them was not organized to meet their particular needs (Gov. UK, 2015).
iii.
The equal employment act of 2010 is a United Kingdom act of parliament aimed at
codifying the numerous regulations and acts that form the platform for anti-
discrimination law in the great Britain. . As early as 2008, the Baroness Scotland of

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Asthal made a decision to sponsor a change in the law of succession. This was aimed at
changing the laws regarding the monarchy (Wadham, Ruebain & Robinson, 2012). The
act received opposition from the bishops who believed that it could force women,
married men and gay people to joint priest hood. The adoption of rules of changing the
monarchy resulted to a summary of the equality Act of 2010 where characteristics of age,
gender, marriage and civil partnership were protected. The equality act of 2010 thus not
only resulted in bringing together of other acts but also on the development of a change
in regards to the monarch responsibilities. After the bill was taken through the readings
in the parliament, it was eventually provided with the loyal assent (Wadham, Ruebain,
& Robinson, 2012).
iv.
The Equality Act of 2010 protects people from discrimination in work place. It replaced
the previous antidiscrimination laws with single act. This was aimed at making the law
easier to understand as well as to strengthen protection in such institutions. The act
protects against direct and indirect discrimination and harassment alongside
victimization. Individuals in the UK can reassign their gender without having to undergo
medical supervision. The act has also extended protection against discrimination among

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people with disability and makes it difficult for individuals with disability to be treated
unfairly . The equality act has also extended the powers of the tribunals to benefit the
wider work force. Other provision includes protection of people against age
discrimination and providing public sector equality duty (Gov. UK 2015).
vi.
The equality act has made clear provisions in protection of individuals with disabilities.
In particular, it has extended protection against the indirect discrimination against
disability. It has also established a detriment model aimed at reduction of victimization
of such individuals. Through this, it has extended protection against harassment of the
disabled. By making it hard for the disabled to be unfairly screened, the act has
eliminated previous injustices where the disabled were treated unfairly and poorly
discriminated (Wadham, Ruebain, & Robinson, 2012).
vii.
The Equality Act came about as a result of pressure from different stake holders.
People with disabilities felt that they were being unfairly treated in the country. The
media also played a critical role in publicising cases of discrimination while employees
who felt discriminated also brought to the attention of stakeholders the fact that they
were being unfairly treated. Previously, large number of disabled people in America

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and Britain were prevented from accessing various services. The disabled were viewed
as second class citizens and they were given minimal respect. The disabled were
humiliated in learning institutions while the mentally disabled in some cases used for
medical experiments (Sewell, 2013). Wheel chair users blocked the streets as some
states had no clear paths for the disabled to use and they could not easily access roads.
Some chained their wheel chairs on trucks in protest as employees from various
organizations also launched protests against discriminative work place. As a result, the
legislators repealed the equality laws culminating in the development of the equality
act of 2010 (Gov. UK, 2015).
BTEC Level 4 HNC Diploma in Health and Social Care
Unit 7: Social Policy
Task 2 Portfolio
Section 3
i.
National Health service is a UK based public health organization that ensures
equity in the provision of health care services in the country.
The organization has been in the fore front in implementing the equality act of 2010. It
is committed to uphold a culture of diversity where people are treated fairly, with
inclusion and accessibility especially among the employees and the people that it
serves. The organization is committed to serving of its customers and suppliers as well

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as partners. The organization has prevented discrimination on the basis of disability
through making good work place environment for the disabled, offering assistance to
the disabled especially programs that promote their needs and interests through adapted
equipment and adjusted working time.
The London hospital is a leading health care institution that is based in London. The
health care organization operates as a private provider of health care services.The
organization adheres to the act by fair recruitment and compensation policies based on
equality one is judged by how he or she can perform his or her duties with disability not
withstanding. The organization adjusts the working hour for the disabled and makes
appropriate adjustment such as sitting positions and transportation system to
convenience the disabled employees.
ii.
The first challenges encountered by the two organization and this involves the cost of
making the appropriate adjustments to enable the disabled staff operate as other
members of staff.
The second challenge that is common in both the institutions is the perception that other
employees have against their disabled counterparts where a large number believe that the
disabled ones are getting favourable treatment despite their disability , which in turn
creates some rifts in the organizations.

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iii.
The implementation of the equality act of 2010 in UK is influenced by many factors.
Enforcement laws provide the basic source of influence. Nevertheless, individual beliefs
also influence its adoption where Some managers are not willing to hire the disabled as
they do not represent the intended face of the organizations. Moreover, the customers are
likely to be less receptive to services offered by the disabled and this could be a
challenge to the act (Star Bucks, 2016).
iv.
While many organizations have engaged their employees in training and development,
informing them of the need to treat the disabled with dignity, there have been complains
of poor treatment of the disabled from the same organizations. Some employees have
negative attitude towards the disabled and would not like associating with them. Some
have the opinion that the disabled forms part of the second class citizens and
consequently, they adopt double standards when dealing with such individuals.
Managers in other organizations does not see the need to incur huge costs in designing

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the organization in meeting the needs of the disabled as they do not perceive the
disabled as being part of the crucial part of its customers.
v.
Individual behavior may positively influence adoption of the inequality act in
organizations. Managers may adopt culture that accommodates people with disability
both as customers and employees. Adoption of such culture would ensure that
employees relate with each other well irrespective of their health status and would treat
customers well irrespective of the same. At personal level, having the view that all
people are equal irrespective of color, race, creed or health status would end up
increasing the ability of such individuals to treat the disabled well in the society
vi.
Individual behavior is in many cases influenced by social norms. Social norms shape the
attitude, perception and values of individuals. Attitudes are often contagious and may
end up affecting individuals around an individual. Behavior change may be important in
changing the perception of people towards the disabled. By treating the disabled with
extra care, individuals would end up influencing others to do the same. Through such