ADVOCACY for
HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE
PROFESSIONALS
DISABILITY
As expressed on our BAME page, our commitment and determination to obtain positive outcomes for health and social care workers is equal across all demographics of our membership. However, we consider it an imperative to focus on the demographics which are most disadvantaged and underrepresented in mainstream discussions. Thus, we have created a group focusing on disabled health and social care professionals.
It is essential to note that while this service has been implemented to support disabled union members, the information and resources provided are relevant and important to our entire membership, as positive change requires a unified effort amongst all health and social care professionals.
According to current statistics (2020), only 6.5% of clinical (excluding medical and dental staff) and non-clinical staff have declared their disability within the NHS. In the medical and dental profession, this number falls to just 3.94%. To understand the significance of this, it is important to consider the following:
-
There are 7.7 million disabled people in the UK.
-
52% of these are employed amongst those of working age.
-
The NHS is the largest employer in the UK.
In view of these statistics, the rate of those who declare their disability is low. There are reasons for this. While over 70% of NHS disabled employees feel their employer has made adequate reasonable adjustments for them, other statistics indicate concurrent disadvantages they face compared to non-disabled colleagues. These include being more likely to be subjected to formal capability processes, more likely to experience bullying, harassment and abuse, and less likely to feel valued. It is clear that these workers require particular support to remove these disadvantages.
FOR DISABILITY-RELATED RESOURCES, PLEASE SEE BELOW.
Through this union, our aim is to provide the following support:
-
To provide a safe, private space to raise concerns amongst yourselves
-
To facilitate the raising of concerns to employers as an individual or as part of a group
-
To provide mental health support
-
To provide resources for career development
-
To provide legal advice in matters regarding disability discrimination
-
To support you in developing your workplace disability initiatives