Extended use of facemasks and face coverings guidance in hospitals, primary care and wider community healthcare settings (referred to as 'Healthcare settings'): Equality Impact Assessment

Stage 3: Assessing the impacts and identifying opportunities to promote equality

Having considered the data and evidence, the information below highlights the potential impacts, both positive and negative, associated with the withdrawal of the extended use of facemask and face covering guidance in healthcare settings.

Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their age?

Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation:

• No Impact
• No evidence of a differential impact identified at the time of withdrawing the extended guidance.

Advancing equality of opportunity:

• Positive Impact
• The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have a positive impact in care received by certain age groups, most significantly seen in those with hearing loss and cognitive decline. The benefit to communication the removal of masks allows will have a positive impact in care received.

Promoting good relations among and between different age groups:

• Positive Impact
• The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have a positive impact in relationships by certain age groups, most significantly seen in those with hearing loss and cognitive decline. The benefit to communication the removal of masks allows will have a positive impact in care received.

Do you think that the policy impacts disabled people?

Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation:

• No Impact
• No evidence of a differential impact identified at the time of withdrawing the extended guidance.

Advancing equality of opportunity:

• No Impact
• No evidence of a differential impact identified at the time of withdrawing the extended guidance.

Promoting good relations:

• Positive Impact
• The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have a positive impact in relationships and care received by certain disabled people. The benefit to communication the removal of masks allows will have a positive impact in care received.

Do you think that the policy impacts on men and women in different ways?

Eliminating unlawful discrimination:

• No Impact

Advancing equality of opportunity

• No Impact

Promoting good relations between men and women:

• No Impact

The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have no impact on people because of their sex. The policy focuses on a person-centred risk-based approach and asks staff to follow existing IPC guidance as well as risk assess when required in different settings as was in place pre-pandemic. It is not specifically linked to people’s sex.

Do you think that the policy impacts on women because of pregnancy and maternity?

Eliminating unlawful discrimination:

• No Impact

Advancing equality of opportunity

• No Impact

Promoting good relations:

• No Impact

The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have no impact on a person because of their pregnancy and maternity status. The policy focuses on a person-centred risk-based approach and asks staff to follow existing IPC guidance as well as risk assess when required in different settings as was in place pre-pandemic. It is not specifically linked to a person’s pregnancy or maternity status.

Do you think your policy impacts on people proposing to undergo, undergoing, or who have undergone a process for the purpose of reassigning their sex? (NB: the Equality Act 2010 uses the term ‘transsexual people’, but ‘trans people’ is more commonly used)

Eliminating unlawful discrimination:

• No Impact

Advancing equality of opportunity

• No Impact

Promoting good relations:

• No Impact

The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have no impact on people because of gender reassignment. The policy focuses on a person-centred risk-based approach and asks staff follow existing IPC guidance as well as risk assess when required in different settings as was in place pre-pandemic. It is not specifically linked to gender reassignment.

Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their sexual orientation?

Eliminating unlawful discrimination:

• No Impact

Advancing equality of opportunity

• No Impact

Promoting good relations:

• No Impact

The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have no impact on people because of their sexual orientation. The policy focuses on a person-centred risk-based approach and asks staff follow existing IPC guidance as well as risk assess when required in different settings as was in place pre-pandemic. It is not specifically linked to people’s sexual orientation.

Do you think the policy impacts on people on the grounds of their race?

Eliminating unlawful discrimination:

• No Impact

Advancing equality of opportunity:

• Positive and Negative Impact

Promoting good race relations:

• Positive Impact

The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have a positive impact on people due to communication becoming easier. Language barriers can be widened with the use of facemasks and the removal could aid this issue ensuring access to healthcare is improved.

Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of socio-economic disadvantage?

Eliminating unlawful discrimination:

• No Impact

Advancing equality of opportunity

• No Impact

Promoting good relations:

• No Impact

The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have no impact on people because of socio-economic disadvantage. The policy focuses on a person-centred risk-based approach and asks staff follow existing IPC guidance as well as risk assess when required in different settings as was in place pre-pandemic. It is not specifically linked to people’s socio-economic status.

Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their religion or belief?

Eliminating unlawful discrimination:

• No Impact

Advancing equality of opportunity

• No Impact

Promoting good relations:

• No Impact

The evidence suggests that the withdrawal of the guidance will have no impact on people because of their religion or belief. The policy focuses on a person-centred risk-based approach and asks staff follow existing IPC guidance as well as risk assess when required in different settings as was in place pre-pandemic.

Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their marriage or civil partnership? ^[84]

Eliminating unlawful discrimination:

• No Impact

Advancing equality of opportunity

• No Impact

Promoting good relations:

• No Impact