The Equality Act 2010 protects people against unfair treatment (discrimination) on the ground of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. The Equality Act defines ‘disability’ as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day to day activities.
Providers are reminded that under this Act they must make adequate and reasonable adjustment to services, which includes provision for interpreters, carers and for others from whom patients may require assistance, providing information and/or signage in an appropriate range of formats, media and languages. Providers shall ensure that service and customer care is delivered in an inclusive manner which respects the diversity of users. It is therefore unlikely that an application for additional funding for such adjustments will be successful.
The responsibility for adherence to these policies lies with the treating clinician and failure to adhere to these criteria may result in non-payment of the activity.