P3 Equality, Diversity and Sociological Perspectives

It is against the law to discriminate service users in Health and Social care. According to Stretch and Whitehouse (2010), discrimination is when one person treats another person or group unfairly, by not giving them equal treatment based on their prejudice. There are other ways in which service users can be discriminated against. These could be age, class, culture, gender, health status, race, religion and sexuality. Discrimination can occur in all this forms. In Dungrowin house, both the practising Jew and HIV positive service users are being discriminated against.

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The service users suffer discrimination based on their culture and health status. Most of the nursing staffs in Dungrowin house may not be comfortable with the practising Jew or the HIV positive service users and may discriminate against them. There are three levels of discrimination that service users have suffered in Dungrowin house. They are individual level, institutional level and cultural level. These discriminatory practices have potential effects on the service users in Dungrowin house. Individual level discrimination: This happens where a person is single out and treated differently, negatively.

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This may include violence, insults and exclusions. In Dungrowin house, service users may suffer this level of discrimination especially the practicing Jew and HIV positive service users. The practicing Jew may be excluded from service users’ activities, will not be given his/her kosher meal, will not be given the chance to practice his /her faith and many more. For the HIV positive service user the attitudes of the nursing staffs will be negative, will insult him/her for contracting the disease and no one may be willing to get into contact with him/her.

Institutional level discrimination:

This happens where organisation or institution systems and practices exclude certain groups or persons from accessing its resources. In Dungrowin, there is that level of discrimination. This is because it is a residential care home for the elderly. This means if you are not elderly you cannot be treated. They discriminate against age.

Cultural level discrimination:

This happens when people absorb the values, beliefs and ideas deeply that they do not challenge negative stereotypes or behaviours. They tend to accept the discrimination to normal or okay.

In Dungrowin house, the practicing Jew and HIV positive service users will just accept the discriminatory practices to be normal. This could be the fact that they have complained about the nursing staffs bad practices or abuse and nothing have been done by management. Service users will just have to accept what they go through at the hands of the nursing staffs. According Rasheed, Hetherington and Irvine (2010), there are two types’ discriminatory practices. They are direct (overt) and indirect (covert). Direct discrimination is usually quite clear, obvious and straight to the abuser.

For example, in Dungrowin house nursing staffs will tell the HIV positive service user it is his/her fault that he/she finds him/her self in that situation (verbal abuse). The practicing Jew will be told he/she is having what everybody is eating. Indirect discrimination is difficult to prove, it may occur when people seem as though they are being treated alike. This got to do with bad attitudes and body languages. For example, in Dungrowin house the HIV service user will always be treated with gloves and the nursing staffs will be avoiding im/her (non-verbal communication). With the practicing Jew, he/she will be excluded from service users’ activities without notice. All of these discriminatory practices have potential effects on service users’ motivation, self-esteem, behaviour and opportunities. Discriminating against service users does not motivation and self-esteem. It will discourage them from recovering from their illness. In the case of the HIV positive and practicing Jew service users, since they are discriminated against in Dungrowin house they have low or no motivation and self-esteem.

No one wants to come close to them, use abusive language at them and are denied their privileges in Health and Social care. This discrimination against them will affect service users behaviour. In the case of HIV positive and practicing Jew, they may threaten to commit suicide or self harm. They may be angry with themselves as to why this is happening to them. Since service users are discriminated against their opportunities are limited. The HIV positive and practicing Jew service users are denied of their rights and abuse in all situations.

They have no choice of how they are suppose to be treated. Discrimination was defined to be singling out a particular person or group for worse or better treatment than others. People or person can be discriminated against for being different. This could be in terms of their age, class, culture, gender, health status, race, religion and sexuality. There are three levels of discrimination. Which are individual level, institutional level and cultural level. There are also two types of discrimination, direct (overt) and indirect (covert).

Discrimination has potential effects on service users and should be discouraged at all levels not just in Health and Social care. Nursing staffs should follow the care value base, policies and legislation provided by their association, agencies and the government. It is against the law to discriminate against service users.

Bibliography

1. Strech B, Whitehouse M (2010). Health and Social. Essex: Edexcel. Penguin Group (2004). Pocket English Dictionary. London: Penguin Books
2. Rasheed E, Hetherington Alison and Irvine J. (2010). Health and Social Care. London: Edexcel.

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