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Equality and diversity 

Equality legislation

Equality Act 2010

The new Equality Act 2010 came into force on 1 October 2010 and replaces previous equality legislation.

The act is important as it makes the law that protects people from discrimination fairer and consistent. It also protects our staff, patients, and families of patients from discrimination, victimisation and harassment in relation to:

• age
• disability (definition changed)
• sex (gender)
• gender reassignment (definition changed)
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief (including lack of belief)
• sexual orientation

The new act brings with it new a new equality duty (replacing the old race, gender and disability duties), which now covers each of the protected groups mentioned above.

The new general duty requires NHS Bolton:

• to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• to advance equality of opportunity between different groups
• to foster good relations between different groups.

To support the general duty the Act also has specific duties which public bodes must meet. There come into place on 1 April 2011 and are:

• to publish sufficient information to demonstrate its compliance with the general equality duty across its functions
• to prepare and publish equality objectives.

For more information on the Equality Act 2010 and its requirements, click here.

For more information about the changes to recruitment in the act, click here.

NHS Bolton is currently preparing to meet its general and specific duties and will update accordingly.

Previous equality legislation:

• Race Relations Amendment Act (2000)
• Disability Discrimination Act (2005)
• Equality Act (Gender) (2006)
• Employment Equality (Age) Regulation 2006
• Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006
• Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations 2005
• Gender Recognition Act 2004
• Civil Partnerships Act 2004
• Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
• Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
• Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999
• The Human Rights Act 1998
• Race Relations Act 1976
• The Sex Discrimination Act (as amended) 1975
• The Equal Pay Act (as amended) 1970

For more information on previous legislation, click here.