What is equality?

Equality means treating everyone equally regardless of their individual characteristics, such as their age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability status, and other characteristics described in the Equality Status Acts.

What is diversity?

Human beings have a wide variety of shared and different characteristics, at a personal level, and across groups. People have a diverse range of:

• opinions,
• social backgrounds,
• educational experience,
• religious and political beliefs,
• culture and heritage,
• sexual orientations,
• and life experience.

We can cater for diversity by working towards equality of health outcomes for everybody we care for. Diversity requires you to change how you behave in order to accommodate the unique and distinct needs of different groups. Diversity extends beyond equality: it is about recognising individual as well as group differences, and catering for these in your service.

In an increasingly diverse world, people are becoming aware of their unconscious biases and have a desire to develop their cultural competence. Diversity and inclusion training enhances patient care by providing more personalised and respectful care, addresses health inequalities, and creates a positive, inclusive and supportive work environment for all staff.

You can learn more about these areas in these short courses on HSeLand:

• Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Module 1: An Introduction
• Overcoming Unconscious Bias in the Workplace
• Dignity at Work (Revised 2022)
• Cultural Diversity

Pharmacists can complete these modules by creating an account for HSeLand at the following link:

HSeLand Registration

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