Describe ways of reflecting on and challenging discrimination issues in health and social care

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Task 1 – Describe Ways of Reflecting on and Challenging Discriminatory Issues in Health and Social Care

There will always be ethical issues in healthcare, below are 5 issues that can cause conflict between staff and patients.

Rights of one patient will clash with the rights of another

A patient has the right to watch TV or listen to the radio, while the patient in the next bed has the right the right to an undisturbed sleep the rights of these two patients clash. By providing earphones could help resolve this. If patients share a room one wants the door propped open and the other one doesn’t although this is a clash of rights the rights of the patient who wanted the door closed would outweigh the other as propping open doors is a fire risk. However the patients could be offered a single room and the patient who wanted the door open could have electro-magnetic device fitted to their bedroom door which would make the door close in the event of a fire .In my placement my mentor discussed this with me he said he had to challenge the home he worked in to provide this as these devices cost a lot of money.

Individual’s rights may clash with each other’s

A patient has the right to life and freedom, however they may be a serious danger to themselves or others their illness may make them think they are fine so to protect them they have to be detained under the Mental Health Order 1986.

Care workers obligations may conflict with each other

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A patient tells their charge nurse in confidence that they have had thoughts of harming themselves and others, even though the patient told them in confidence it is the nurses obligation to report this before the patient or somebody gets hurt.

Cultural and Religious Values

One religious and cultural value, which would clash, would be with the beliefs of a Jehovah’s Witness. They would refuse to have a blood transfusion, but the consultant would explain that having a blood transfusion is needed in order to survive. However they could still refuse and medical staff may have to challenge this ...

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