UNIT 2 P1
EXPLAIN THE CONCEPTS OF EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND RIGHTS IN
RELATION TO HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE.
The term equality means treating individual fairly/equally according to their specific
needs. The term diversity means recognising that every individual is different in their
own way. The term rights describe the roles and responsibilities attached to being an
individual living and working within a wider society. (Stretch, B & Whitehouse, M:
2007) The objective of this assignment is to explain the concepts of Equality,
Diversity and Rights in relation to health and social care.
EQUALITY
The meaning behind this word can perhaps be best summed up as “all people have
the same value”. However it does not mean individuals should be treated the same
way. Equality can be defined as creating a fair society, where people from different
backgrounds can participate in things and has the opportunity to fulfil their potentials.
(Department of health, 2004). In society we are expected to treat people equally
regardless of another person’s race, culture, sex, gender, beliefs, ethnicity or
disabilities.
Equality is essential within a health and social setting. In health and social care
setting, professionals treat people from different race equally. It would be very unfair
to treat certain patients differently to others. It can also be unfair and classed as
discrimination for a patient to refuse to be treated by a professional because of their
gender, age, race or religion. All workplaces should have an ‘Equal Opportunity
policy’ to ensure that all members of staff are treated equally. Equality is important
because they are carried to ensure the fairness of individuals in the society. But
without equality, society would be judgemental, there would lot of violent and also
crime rate would rise regarding discrimination and racism. Example: stereotypes
think that males should not become midwife in order to treat pregnant females. The
Equality Act (2010) allows men to become midwifes as they are able to have the
same knowledge and experience as a woman. Another example can be when people
are fostering children. Fostering children does not mean that they should be fostered
Page 1
,according to their race or religion. Fostering children means to give all the children
the equal opportunity to be cared for.
DIVERSITY
Diversity means the differences. Diversity is all about recognising and appreciating
the variety of characteristics that makes individuals unique. Individuals in society
need to accept and embrace diversity. It is important so that everyone knows and
understands the meaning and importance of diversity. Diversity comes in different
ranges such as social classes, race, education, ethnicity, gender, religion, beliefs,
culture, sexuality, disabilities, socio-economic, fashion styles, relationships,
hermaphrodites etc.
EDUCATION
Education in diversity focuses on every individual, ensuring that everyone has an
opportunity to achieve their dreams no matter what happens. The education system
has benefited from cultural diversity in many different ways. This teaches workers in
health and social care settings about respecting their client’s differences. Example,
In a Residential care home, an elderly person from a different background can be
taught about greeting a person by bowing down their head instead of saying the
word or shaking hand.
TOLERNACE
Tolerance in health and social care or the society means of behaving appropriately
and in a caring manner towards both professionals and service users. In workplace,
not all staff members share or hold similar beliefs and tradition but they understand
the concepts of attaching to another person beliefs and respecting their as long as it
does not harm the person. In HTSC, tolerating workers bases on their nationality is
discrimination and it should not be accepted.
SOCIAL COHESION
The word cohesion means sticking together. Social cohesion can be explained by
the use of community. There are some parts of the area that have individuals living in
the same place that place could be a geographical area. In places likes, individuals
feels that they belong in place like that so they is no need for everyone
Page 2
, circumstances and background to be valued and respected. Along side have people
who have positive relationship with other people from different backgrounds and
respect their values and beliefs. Social cohesion should work between any
multicultural individuals as they can work together and also support each other.
Individuals who play an essential part of social cohesion can take specific measures
of ensuring safety of vulnerable people in the society. In other words, social cohesion
can help heath and social care settings as it help the service users from being in
harm and also ensure that service users are treated and provided fairly according to
their needs.
CULTURAL ENRICHMENT
Cultural enrichments can be about food, language, art etc. The benefits of living a
positive diversity society is an easy access to all range of different tradition and art
forms from around the world. Museums display art that reflects the heritage and
beliefs of many different societies. Art can be helpful because they can provide some
insight into culture and beliefs of other societies and also can help understand the
meaning of life in different backgrounds. The food can have benefit of living in a
diverse multicultural society because it can help understand the different range of
food from different places. In health and social care settings, workers needs
understand and also learn the different range of food from different places in order
for them to provide the correct needs to their patients. Different people from different
background eat different types of food that enrich to them example with the use of
spices, herbs and fruit. The language can have a good benefit in a diversity society
as you can learn from others. Secondary schools and colleges offer the opportunity
to study modern foreign language so that people can travel abroad as part of the
European Union agreement.
ECONOMIC BENEFITS
The economic benefits of diversity in the United Kingdom are seen through the
contributions that are made into the society. Example can be the clothes we wear,
what we eat, people we work with that is the import and exports of goods from
different countries, and also the knowledge of economy that are transferred from one
country to another by working with people from aboard. In health and social setting,
the economic diversity such as IT system can help people and that is services user
Page 3
EXPLAIN THE CONCEPTS OF EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND RIGHTS IN
RELATION TO HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE.
The term equality means treating individual fairly/equally according to their specific
needs. The term diversity means recognising that every individual is different in their
own way. The term rights describe the roles and responsibilities attached to being an
individual living and working within a wider society. (Stretch, B & Whitehouse, M:
2007) The objective of this assignment is to explain the concepts of Equality,
Diversity and Rights in relation to health and social care.
EQUALITY
The meaning behind this word can perhaps be best summed up as “all people have
the same value”. However it does not mean individuals should be treated the same
way. Equality can be defined as creating a fair society, where people from different
backgrounds can participate in things and has the opportunity to fulfil their potentials.
(Department of health, 2004). In society we are expected to treat people equally
regardless of another person’s race, culture, sex, gender, beliefs, ethnicity or
disabilities.
Equality is essential within a health and social setting. In health and social care
setting, professionals treat people from different race equally. It would be very unfair
to treat certain patients differently to others. It can also be unfair and classed as
discrimination for a patient to refuse to be treated by a professional because of their
gender, age, race or religion. All workplaces should have an ‘Equal Opportunity
policy’ to ensure that all members of staff are treated equally. Equality is important
because they are carried to ensure the fairness of individuals in the society. But
without equality, society would be judgemental, there would lot of violent and also
crime rate would rise regarding discrimination and racism. Example: stereotypes
think that males should not become midwife in order to treat pregnant females. The
Equality Act (2010) allows men to become midwifes as they are able to have the
same knowledge and experience as a woman. Another example can be when people
are fostering children. Fostering children does not mean that they should be fostered
Page 1
,according to their race or religion. Fostering children means to give all the children
the equal opportunity to be cared for.
DIVERSITY
Diversity means the differences. Diversity is all about recognising and appreciating
the variety of characteristics that makes individuals unique. Individuals in society
need to accept and embrace diversity. It is important so that everyone knows and
understands the meaning and importance of diversity. Diversity comes in different
ranges such as social classes, race, education, ethnicity, gender, religion, beliefs,
culture, sexuality, disabilities, socio-economic, fashion styles, relationships,
hermaphrodites etc.
EDUCATION
Education in diversity focuses on every individual, ensuring that everyone has an
opportunity to achieve their dreams no matter what happens. The education system
has benefited from cultural diversity in many different ways. This teaches workers in
health and social care settings about respecting their client’s differences. Example,
In a Residential care home, an elderly person from a different background can be
taught about greeting a person by bowing down their head instead of saying the
word or shaking hand.
TOLERNACE
Tolerance in health and social care or the society means of behaving appropriately
and in a caring manner towards both professionals and service users. In workplace,
not all staff members share or hold similar beliefs and tradition but they understand
the concepts of attaching to another person beliefs and respecting their as long as it
does not harm the person. In HTSC, tolerating workers bases on their nationality is
discrimination and it should not be accepted.
SOCIAL COHESION
The word cohesion means sticking together. Social cohesion can be explained by
the use of community. There are some parts of the area that have individuals living in
the same place that place could be a geographical area. In places likes, individuals
feels that they belong in place like that so they is no need for everyone
Page 2
, circumstances and background to be valued and respected. Along side have people
who have positive relationship with other people from different backgrounds and
respect their values and beliefs. Social cohesion should work between any
multicultural individuals as they can work together and also support each other.
Individuals who play an essential part of social cohesion can take specific measures
of ensuring safety of vulnerable people in the society. In other words, social cohesion
can help heath and social care settings as it help the service users from being in
harm and also ensure that service users are treated and provided fairly according to
their needs.
CULTURAL ENRICHMENT
Cultural enrichments can be about food, language, art etc. The benefits of living a
positive diversity society is an easy access to all range of different tradition and art
forms from around the world. Museums display art that reflects the heritage and
beliefs of many different societies. Art can be helpful because they can provide some
insight into culture and beliefs of other societies and also can help understand the
meaning of life in different backgrounds. The food can have benefit of living in a
diverse multicultural society because it can help understand the different range of
food from different places. In health and social care settings, workers needs
understand and also learn the different range of food from different places in order
for them to provide the correct needs to their patients. Different people from different
background eat different types of food that enrich to them example with the use of
spices, herbs and fruit. The language can have a good benefit in a diversity society
as you can learn from others. Secondary schools and colleges offer the opportunity
to study modern foreign language so that people can travel abroad as part of the
European Union agreement.
ECONOMIC BENEFITS
The economic benefits of diversity in the United Kingdom are seen through the
contributions that are made into the society. Example can be the clothes we wear,
what we eat, people we work with that is the import and exports of goods from
different countries, and also the knowledge of economy that are transferred from one
country to another by working with people from aboard. In health and social setting,
the economic diversity such as IT system can help people and that is services user
Page 3
