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Gateways to the Professions

5. Preparing the ground

5.3 Disability Equality Scheme

A Disability Equality Scheme (DES) offers institutions the positive opportunity to set out a vision and to define really challenging goals for the removal of barriers and the total inclusion of disabled people.

Universities as public authorities have a duty to publish a DES every three years and to review it annually, to show how they intend to fulfil both their general and specific duties. The DES should be signed off by the Vice-Chancellor or someone of similar authority. Disabled people and their organisations must be involved in preparing, monitoring and evaluating the impact of the DES.

The purpose of the DES is to eliminate disability discrimination from institutional practice and to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people. This is true in both academic and social terms, and should encompass the activities of students and staff. Isolation, harassment and bullying on the basis of disability are potential problems for institutions and require specific attention. Prospectuses, advertisements, departmental handbooks and similar publications, whether printed or online, should contain stories, images and policies that remind prospective and current students and staff of their responsibility to promote equality. The school’s success in relation to disabled students should be a point of pride.

There are slightly different arrangements for Northern Ireland, set out in the Equality Commission Guide for Public Authorities. Public authorities had to develop their first disability action plans by 30 June 2007, unless they were exempt because of the review of public administration in Northern Ireland.

Educational public authorities are required to set out in their DES:

• the arrangements in place for gathering information on the effect of their policies and practices on the educational opportunities available to, and on the achievements of, disabled students
• the arrangements in place for gathering information on the effect of their policies and practices on the recruitment, development and retention of their disabled employees.

The information gathered must be analysed and used as the basis for preparing disability action plans, and for reviewing the effectiveness of those actions taken. The DES should also include a statement of the arrangements for making use of the information gathered. In particular, it should include arrangements for reviewing on a regular basis the effectiveness of the action plan and for preparing subsequent DESs.

Monitoring is therefore essential if an equal opportunities programme is to be effective. It is important to know the composition of an organisation to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged or under-represented. This is true in relation to medical school applicants and students and the composition of selection panels. Without monitoring it is not possible to track positive steps and their effects. Monitoring should be regular, standardised and recorded.