Recognising discrimination, bias and unfair treatment

Discrimination can be obvious, but it also appears in small, repeated actions: dismissive jokes, public embarrassment, rushed explanations, addressing a companion instead of the patient, or assuming what someone can afford, understand or choose.

Forms of unfair treatment

• Direct discrimination: treating someone worse because of a protected characteristic.
• Indirect discrimination: applying a rule or routine that seems neutral but disadvantages a group without good reason.
• Harassment: unwanted conduct that violates dignity or creates a hostile, humiliating, degrading or offensive environment.
• Victimisation: treating someone badly because they raised, supported or were connected to a discrimination concern.
• Association or perception: treating someone unfairly because they are linked to a protected characteristic or because staff assume something about them.

How bias may show up in optical practice

• Talking over the patient: addressing only a carer, parent or companion when the patient can participate.
• Making cost assumptions: steering someone away from options because of appearance, accent, age or perceived income.
• Labelling people as difficult: when they may need clearer communication, more processing time or a reasonable adjustment.
• Mocking difference: jokes about accent, religion, disability, gender, sexuality, menopause, pregnancy, nationality or age.
• Offering a thinner service: giving some people less choice, explanation or patience than others.

Support staff do not need to identify the exact legal term before acting. If behaviour is disrespectful, discriminatory, unsafe or repeated, follow local routes for advice, support or escalation.

Bias often shows in ordinary moments. Notice who is rushed, joked about, spoken over, offered fewer options or treated as a problem for needing the service to work differently.