By 4 December 2006, NHS organisations will also be required to meet specific duties to produce a Disability Equality Scheme, outlining how they will meet the general duty.
The duty
The duty covers all functions and activities, including employment and service delivery, budget setting, commissioning, procurement, regulatory functions and setting the framework within which the organisations will deliver services.
The general duty includes a requirement to:
- Promote equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people
- Eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Disability Discrimination Act. This can be either direct discrimination which relates to less favourable treatment of a disabled person due to their disability, or failure to make reasonable adjustments
- Eliminate harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability
- Promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
- Encourage participation by disabled people in public life
- Take steps to meet disabled people’s needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment