Defining the Different Types of Discrimination in Health and Social Care

December 10, 2015
Clock Icon 10 min read

Of all the jobs that involve interacting with people, working in health and social care is likely one of the most demanding, as the very wellbeing of individuals is entrusted to you: the caregiver. But it can also be one of the most rewarding, especially if you treat the people you work with and your service users right.

By providing each and every patient with person-centred care, their quality of life will be greatly enhanced during what could otherwise be a difficult time for them. Likewise, being supportive and amiable towards colleagues in your healthcare environment will infuse them with feelings of positivity and the motivation to also treat others well.

To effectively do so, you need to understand what types of discrimination you should be preventing.


Why is Preventing Discrimination Important?

As you’ll no doubt know as someone who is dedicating their life to upholding people’s healthcare and wellbeing, the emotional needs of a person are equally if not more important in some cases than the physical.

Try to comprehend the idea of being mistreated or not suitably accommodated by someone devoted to delivering care: it’s ironic. Being discriminated against by a healthcare professional is detrimental to a person’s emotional needs and denies them adequate treatment, which is as much a disservice as a chef sending out chicken to guests raw.

And yet discrimination in the healthcare industry is widespread – targeted at both service users and fellow caregivers – ranging from gender inequality, through ageism and racism, to the mistreatment of transgender people.

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Want to Learn More?

Our Equality and Diversity in Health and Social Care Training explains what the Equality Act 2010 requires of health and social care providers, what is meant by discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and how you can improve your own attitude towards equality and diversity.


What are the Different Types of Discrimination?

There are 4 different kinds of discrimination from which anyone with one or more of the protected characteristics is safeguarded:

  • Direct discrimination
  • Indirect discrimination
  • Associative discrimination
  • Perceptive discrimination

There are also specific types that could fall under these categories, such as:

  • Multiple discrimination
  • Harassment and sexual harassment
  • Third party harassment
  • Victimisation

Click on the drop downs below for more information on these different types of discrimination in health and social care.



Whether it be a colleague or a service user, whether they’re young or old, or whether they’re the same nationality as you or of a different one entirely, everyone deserves to be treated well and have their needs fully accommodated.

Do what you can to prevent or eliminate any possibility of discrimination occurring. Do your best to dispose of any discriminatory attitudes you may have and work together with others in your healthcare team to ensure everyone has equal access to treatment and care.


Further Resources: