Age discrimination
Updated April 2008
Age discrimination exists in many areas of life and can prevent older people from accessing employment, goods and services and from taking an active role in society. Examples of discrimination older people may experience in the health and social care field include upper age limits for routine breast screening, ‘do not resuscitate’ orders being imposed without consent and lower levels of investment in services for older people.
Around half of respondents to the government’s 2005 consultation on age discrimination felt that they had either experienced or witnessed age discrimination in the work place [see reference 1]
A 2002 survey found that three out of four senior managers working in local authority health and social services believed that age discrimination occurred within their local services.[see reference 2] In response the government produced the National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People with the stated aim of stopping age discrimination in health and social care.[see reference 3] As a result, attitudes in health and social care provision have begun to change. For example, between 2000 and 2002 breast cancer surgery for over 85s increased by 13 per cent [see reference 4]. Additionally there was a 16 per cent increase in the number of Coronary artery bypass grafts performed on the over 65, and an increase of 32 per cent among patients over 75 and an increase of 65 per cent in those over 85 [see reference 4].
The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 came into force on 1 October 2006. These regulations prohibit age discrimination in terms of recruitment, promotion and training; prohibit unjustified retirement ages of below 65; and remove the age limit for unfair dismissal and redundancy rights. Furthermore, the Equality Act 2006 established the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, a single body with the duty of promoting equality, diversity and human rights, including age equality. Still more needs to be done, including implementing legislation to ban age discrimination in access to goods and services.
As well as implementing legislation to prevent age discrimination it is important that public attitudes to age are addressed. There are widespread misconceptions that stereotype older people and this can affect older people’s self-esteem and expectations, as well as other people’s attitudes towards them.
References:
- National Audit Office (2004) Welfare to work: tackling the barriers to the employment of older people. London: National Audit Office (Access the report here)
- Roberts E, Robinson J & Seymour L (2002) Old habits die hard. London: King’s Fund.
- Department of Health (2001) National service framework for older people. London: Department of Health. (Access the report here)
- Standard One - Rooting out age discrimination - http://www.dh.gov.uk (Accessed March 2008)