Topic 5

Prejudice

When someone holds negative attitudes about someone else because they belong to a particular group. These attitudes are usually based on stereotypes and result in making ignorant assumptions about others.

• Race
• Religion
• Gender

Discrimination

Discrimination occurs when someone acts on their prejudices about or intolerance for an individual or group's race religion or gender. treating them unfairly or denying them their rights

• staff using inappropriate racial terms for example a GP in a health centre referring to a patient as a gypsy rather than a traveller
• Staff ignoring or isolating service users because of their disabilities for example a care worker in a daycentre not talking to a person who has a hearing disability as he is difficult to understand
• early year workers in a playgroup with a range of cultures not celebrating all holidays and festivals for example making Christmas cards but not acknowledging Vaisakhi or Sikh

• a practice nurse in a health sector taking account of disabilities in communicating with patients, for example using easily understood terms with patients with learning disabilities or making sure face patients who need to lip read when she is talking
• staff in a crèche ensuring resources such as play materials reflect different cultures and backgrounds, for example having books and posters showing people of different races

•  care workers in a day centre for people with mental health problems making it clear that all activities are open to both genders for example encouraging both men and women to take part in baking and decorating cupcakes

• not consulting (p/c/s) about religious/cultural dietary requirements
• not consulting (p/c/s) about their spiritual needs or religious practices because the member of staff has different religious beliefs
• not offering (p/c/s) a translator when they don’t understand what is being said (staff’s prejudices about immigrants)
• not offering the services of an advocate if the person has learning difficulties and cannot self-advocate (staff prejudices against learning disabled people)
• verbal abuse, discriminatory remarks from staff relating to an individuals or groups r,g,n,s,
• physical abuse, hitting because of the staff member’s prejudices relating to an individual or groups religion, nationality, gender or sexuality
• not challenging the discriminatory behaviour of staff members or service users when encoutered
• staff deliberately ignoring or isolating an individual or group because of their r,n,g,s
• using resources that do not reflect the diversity of culture and gender etc.
• Staff members denying an individual or group access to other services e.g. education medical treatment because of r,n,g,s
• bullying or harassment of (p/c/s) by staff because of an individuals or groups r,n,g,s

• May hinder recovery or cause health conditions to deteriorate
• may cause victim to become violent
• may result in the victim abusing substances e.g. alcohol/drugs
• may discourage the victim from accessing health and social care services
• may hinder the victim’s life chance and opportunities
• may become physically injured, if attacked physically or neglected
• may result in the victim leaving the care setting and ceasing care or treatment for example discharging themselves from hospital

(patients/clients/service users) may...

• feel disempowered
• feel marginalised, isolated
• have low self-esteem, low self-worth
• feel unhappy, angry, threatened, hurt
• feel they are a burden
• experience mental health issues, for example, depression
• suffer stress and its symptoms
• be frightened
• feel undervalued by staff/ other service users
• feel unsafe in the environment of the care setting
• feel labelled (stereotyped)
• experience a loss of dignity
• fell self-conscious (inferior)
• feel unwanted/neglected

• (p/c/s) may start to believe negative things about themselves
• (p/c/s) may become determined to fight discrimination
• (p/c/s) intellectual; ability may be negatively affected, if they are excluded from activities they may miss opportunities to develop knowledge or skills and miss out on stimulation and occupation
• (p/c/s) confidence may be affected
• (p/c/s) may be confused as to why the discrimination is happening
• (p/c/s) may form prejudiced attitudes and then discriminate against others based on those attitudes
• may affect (p/c/s) ability to express their feeling/opinions

• may affect (p/c/s) ability to self-advocate

• (p/c/s) may become withdrawn
• may affect(p/c/s) ability to build relationships with others
• (p/c/s) may not take part in group activities 

All health, social care and early year settings organisations have a responsibility to promote anti-discriminatory practice.  Examples of anti-discriminatory practice are:

• A ward manager in a hospital encouraging feedback from patients by having a complaints policy to encourage them to report discriminatory practice and acting upon any complaints made.
• a manager in a day centre promoting a whistle blowing policy to encourage staff to use whistle blowing procedures to report others who engage in discriminatory practice
• managers in health, social care and early year settings promoting Charters of Rights so both service users and staff understand clients' rights and how anti-discriminatory practice can be achieved
• managers in health, social care and early year settings having forums for discussion for staff so that issues around discriminatory practice may be discussed.
• a manger in a residential care home promoting the care value base and setting a good example in his/her own practice
• A ward manager in a hospital directly challenging staff and patients when discriminatory incidents occur and using disciplinary procedures when requires
• a manger in a crèche or playgroup ensuring resources such as play materials reflect a variety of cultures

• a manger of a GP practice ensuring information for patients is available in a variety of formats, e.g. large print and in different languages
• training staff in anti-discriminatory practice, e.g. through induction
• Supervise inexperienced staff to keep a check on anti-discriminatory practice
• Promote advocacy e.g. Patients Advocate in hospital
• Providing aids and adaptations to improve access, e.g. specialist cutlery in a day centre for people with physical disabilities

• service users may feel empowered- that they have control over their situations

• service users may experience high self-esteem- may feel good about themselves

• service users may feel secure-happy and safe in the health, social care and early year settings

• they may feel valued- supported and cared for

• their confidence may increase- may feel able to ask questions or interact with staff and other client’s/patients' recovery may be enhanced- they will be more likely to eat properly and sleep well and may get better quicker as a result

• service users may feel more able to express their opinions and may receive better care as a result as their needs can be met more effectively

• organise staff training in anti-discriminatory practice

• have a complaints policy for service users

• have a whistle blowing policy for staff

• directly challenge staff and service users when discrimination occurs

• supervise inexperienced staff to help them adhere to anti-discriminator practice in their da to da wok with service users

• make sure resources and activities in the setting reflect a range of cultures

• setting an example in own practice