Introduction
For m2 I have been asked to discuss how discriminatory practice can be avoided in health and social care settings. I will use relevant examples to identify five forms of discrimination and to show how service users can be discriminated against and make suggestions on how these discriminations can be prevented.
To discriminate means to make choices based upon categories, for example to hire someone of European descent and not people of African descent. There are a number of different ways that an individual can be discriminated against in health and social care settings or services as well as in everyday life. Some forms of discrimination are clear to see, such as use of racist language, whereas others are more subtle and discreet.
Discrimination occurs when someone’s prejudice affects the way they treat other people. In a health and social care proffesions it is important that practitioners such as nurses and carers do not allow their prejudice to influence the way they treat service users.
There are four different forms of discrimination – 1. Unfair discrimination is when an individual is treated unfairly in contrast to someone else. An example of unfair discrimination is an individual not being considered for a job because they are older then another candidate, despite having the same experience and qualifications. 2. Direct discrimination is when someone is rude, hostile or offensive, when an individual is treated less favourably then another because of certain attributes they cannot change such as race/colour, gender, age, sexuality and disabilities. An example of how direct discrimination can occur in a health and social care setting is, a nurse deciding to not treat an individual because of their ethnic background or cultural beliefs. 3. Indirect discrimination is putting rules, conditions or arrangements in place that apply