We are continuously working across government, engaging with stakeholders and listening to the views of disabled people to improve accessibility in public services.

For example, following the publication of our BSL Advisory Board’s report ‘Locked out’ last November, which highlights the barriers faced by the Deaf community in relation to their experience of health and social care services, we are working with them to address the key recommendations from that report.

We are also exploring ways to improve the accessibility of government communications, so that all disabled people can be made aware of changes to existing government policies and are able to contribute to the development of new policies.

The Disability Confident scheme supports employers, including many public sector bodies, to adopt more inclusive and accessible recruitment and workplace practices. The scheme provides guidance, tools and support to build confidence in attracting, recruiting and retaining disabled people, while ongoing work with stakeholders and wider reform activity is strengthening the scheme to ensure it better supports accessibility and inclusion, informed by the lived experience of disabled people and designed to drive continuous improvement across organisations.

Last year I also announced our plans for a UK Government Plan for Disability. The Plan will:

○ summarise work already underway across Government to champion the rights of disabled people, including by making public services more accessible;

○ develop a set of aspirations for Government to prioritise next in order to break down barriers for disabled people; and

○ ​set out a clear vision ​that will show what this Government is aiming to achieve for disabled people in the longer term​.

The Government is fully committed to the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), which protects disabled people from discrimination in the workplace. The Act prohibits direct and indirect disability discrimination and requires employers - including those in the public sector - to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and applicants who meet the Act’s definition of disability, to ensure that they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to their non-disabled colleagues.

The reasonable adjustment duty on employers requires them to make adjustments to any element of a job, job application or interview process, whether on an anticipatory basis or at the request of the disabled person.

The failure of an employer to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled employee or job seeker, or discounting a job application simply because the applicant is disabled could amount to direct disability discrimination under the Act.

The Act recognises the need to strike a balance between the needs of disabled people and the interests of employers. What is ‘reasonable’ will vary from one situation to another. This is because factors like the practicability and cost of making the reasonable adjustment, and the resources available to different employers will be different. It will therefore be for the courts to decide, in the event of a claim of alleged disability discrimination, and on a case-by-case basis, what reasonable adjustments should be made.

It is a matter for individual public sector employers as to how they ensure compliance with their legal obligations under the Act, but many will be subject to the Act’s Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination (including on grounds of disability), advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people. The duty to have “due regard” obliges a public authority to consider the equality aims set out in the duty when exercising its functions, like taking decisions, and then to decide what weight to accord to them. Public authorities place themselves at greater legal risk if they do not interpret the law correctly.

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) provides authoritative and impartial advice free to employees or employers in relation to employment discrimination issues via their website. and telephone helpline 0300 123 1100 or text relay service 18001 0300 123 1100. You can access the website here: http://www.acas.org.uk. Acas also provides employees and employers with Early Conciliation to help them resolve/settle their workplace dispute without going to court.

The Government is fully committed to the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), which protects disabled people from discrimination in the workplace. The Act prohibits direct and indirect disability discrimination and requires employers - including those in the public sector - to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and applicants who meet the Act’s definition of disability, to ensure that they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to their non-disabled colleagues.

The reasonable adjustment duty on employers requires them to make adjustments to any element of a job, job application or interview process, whether on an anticipatory basis or at the request of the disabled person.

The failure of an employer to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled employee or job seeker, or discounting a job application simply because the applicant is disabled could amount to direct disability discrimination under the Act.

The Act recognises the need to strike a balance between the needs of disabled people and the interests of employers. What is ‘reasonable’ will vary from one situation to another. This is because factors like the practicability and cost of making the reasonable adjustment, and the resources available to different employers will be different. It will therefore be for the courts to decide, in the event of a claim of alleged disability discrimination, and on a case-by-case basis, what reasonable adjustments should be made.

It is a matter for individual public sector employers as to how they ensure compliance with their legal obligations under the Act, but many will be subject to the Act’s Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination (including on grounds of disability), advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people. The duty to have “due regard” obliges a public authority to consider the equality aims set out in the duty when exercising its functions, like taking decisions, and then to decide what weight to accord to them. Public authorities place themselves at greater legal risk if they do not interpret the law correctly.

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) provides authoritative and impartial advice free to employees or employers in relation to employment discrimination issues via their website. and telephone helpline 0300 123 1100 or text relay service 18001 0300 123 1100. You can access the website here: http://www.acas.org.uk. Acas also provides employees and employers with Early Conciliation to help them resolve/settle their workplace dispute without going to court.

It is for individual organisations, including Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered practices, to comply with the Equality Act 2010, guidance on which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance

A code of practice has been published to guide CQC registered providers on how to meet the statutory requirement for learning disability and autism training under the Health and Care Act 2022 which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oliver-mcgowan-code-of-practice

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, otherwise known as Oliver’s Training, is the Government’s recommended training package.

The CQC has a role in assessing the completion and effectiveness of training, which may include Oliver’s Training, in relation to Regulation 18: Staffing of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Where an inspection involves the assessment of staff training, the CQC assesses the impact of training on the lives, outcomes and experiences of autistic people and people with a learning disability. The CQC also assesses whether people’s care, treatment and support promotes equality, removes barriers or delays and protects their rights under the Equity in experiences and outcomes quality statement, which is available at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-regulation/providers/assessment/single-assessment-framework/responsive/equity-experiences-outcomes

All assessments carried out through formal inspection activity are reported on and published on the CQC website.