Withdrawal of the 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): use of face coverings in social care settings including adult care homes' guidance: Equality Impact Assessment
This equality impact assessment (EQIA) considers the potential effects of withdrawing the 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): use of face coverings in social care settings including adult care homes' guidance on those with protected characteristics.
Stage 3: Assessing the impacts and identifying opportunities to promote equality
Having considered the data and evidence you have gathered, this section requires you to consider the potential impacts – negative and positive – that your policy might have on each of the protected characteristics. It is important to remember the duty is also a positive one – that we must explore whether the policy offers the opportunity to promote equality and/or foster good relations.
Characteristic - Positive/Negative/None
Reasoning
Age
Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their age?
Overall - Positive
Potential positive impacts – In older adult care homes in particular, where around 66% of the residents are living with dementia, inappropriate face mask use can lead to harms such as communication issues, negatively impact the health and mental wellbeing of individuals and create challenges in building and maintaining meaningful relationships. Reducing inappropriate face mask use will have positive impacts on both communication and relationships, and also on adherence to IPC guidance.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time
Advancing equality of opportunity - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time
Promoting good relations among and between different age groups - Positive
Reducing inappropriate face mask use will have positive impacts on relationship building and maintenance both within and between age groups
Disability
Do you think that the policy impacts disabled people?
Overall - Positive
Potential positive impacts – Inappropriate face mask use can lead to harms such as communication issues, negatively impact the health and mental wellbeing of individuals and create challenges in building and maintaining meaningful relationships. Reducing inappropriate face mask use will have positive impacts on both communication and relationships, and also on adherence to IPC guidance.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Advancing equality of opportunity - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Promoting good relations - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Sex
Do you think that the policy impacts on men and women in different ways?
Overall - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Advancing equality of opportunity - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Promoting good relations between men and women - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Gender reassignment
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)
Overall - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Advancing equality of opportunity - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Promoting good relations - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Sexual orientation
Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their sexual orientation?
Overall - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Advancing equality of opportunity - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Promoting good relations - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Race
Do you think the policy impacts on people on the grounds of their race?
Overall - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Advancing equality of opportunity - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Promoting good relations - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Religion or belief
Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their religion or belief?
Overall - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Advancing equality of opportunity - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Promoting good relations - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Marriage and Civil Partnership[27]
Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their marriage or civil partnership?
Overall - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Advancing equality of opportunity - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
Promoting good relations - None
No evidence of a differential impact identified at this time.
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