Equality Act Support (including Compliance Aids information)

Community pharmacies must make “reasonable adjustments” to ensure persons with disabilities can access pharmacy services. A person with a disability must not be put at a substantial disadvantage1 when compared to persons with no disabilities in accessing services that are provided by the pharmacy. The Equality Act 2010 requires that a reasonable adjustment is made to help a disabled person overcome the obstacles to using the service. 

There is no definition in the Act, but contractors should consider what would be reasonable in the circumstances, taking into account the following (non-exhaustive) list of factors:

• the effect of the disability on the individual person with disabilities;
• whether taking any particular steps would be effective in overcoming the substantial disadvantage that people with disabilities face in accessing the services in question;
• the extent to which it is practicable for the community pharmacy to take the steps;
• the financial and other costs of making the adjustment;
• the extent of any disruption which taking the steps would cause;
• the extent of the community pharmacy’s financial and other resources;
• the amount of any resources already spent on making adjustments;
• health and safety matters.

If there are other resources that you feel would be helpful, please contact the CPHIOW office on 01252 413778 or click CPHIOW Contact.