The importance of reasonable adjustments for an inclusive practice

To support health care professionals with disabilities and long-term health conditions, reasonable adjustments can be made 

According to the BMA only 55% of disabled doctors and medical students who require reasonable adjustments have obtained them, and only 41% stated that telling their workplace or medial school led to improved support. 

To create an inclusive practice, all disabled healthcare professionals with long term health conditions should have the necessary adjustments in place to assist them. The adjustments will be specific to each individual, and can change over time, especially in the case of a disability or health condition that fluctuates. They can include changes to processes, physical spaces, working patterns and the provision of specialist equipment.

According to the Equality Act 2010, medical education organisations and employers must make reasonable adjustments to remove barriers that place individuals at a disadvantage because of their disability; the organisation is required to always consider requests for adjustments – but only adjustments which are regarded reasonable. The Act requires that a disabled person should never be asked to pay for the adjustments. 

What is ‘reasonable’?

The Equality and Human Rights Commission advises that whether an adjustment is reasonable depends on circumstances. This could include: 

• Whether the adjustment will actually overcome the identified difficulty.
• How practicable it is to make the adjustment.
• The financial and other costs involved.
• The amount of disruption caused.
• The money already spent on adjustments.
• The availability of financial or other assistance.

The Welcomed and Valued guidance – a document produced by the BMA and GMC to support medical students and doctors in training with disability or long-term health conditions – contains a range of useful information on the support you are entitled to, and what you can expect to receive.