The equality commission is failing to protect older Britons from discrimination because it is too concerned about race and transgender issues, a leading campaign group warns.
Silver Voices claims the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) “routinely” ignores the rights of older people when prioritizing other minorities.
He is now calling on the government to launch a major review of the regulator amid concerns that it is ineffective and that its £18m-a-year budget is delivering poor value.
The EHRC is supposed to enforce the Equality Act 2010, which makes it illegal to discriminate or harass people based on nine protected characteristics.
These are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and motherhood, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
But Silver Voices, which campaigns for over-60s, says the EHRC appears uninterested in addressing age-related complaints such as “institutional age discrimination” in the NHS.
Silver Voices complained that NHS policy on age limits for cancer screening contravenes the Equality Act
The current EHRC Business Plan has specific projects on sexual discrimination, racial discrimination and discrimination against travellers, but nothing on age discrimination.
Silver Voices has written to the public body to complain that older people are being denied healthcare, such as cancer treatments and vaccines, which it believes would be available to younger patients.
But he says his complaints have been ignored or no action appears to have been taken.
Silver Voices lodged a compliance complaint with the EHRC six months ago, against the NHS, alleging that its policy on age limits on cancer screening contravened equality legislation. The complaint was supported by a petition with more than 100,000 signatures.
Despite agreeing to examine the complaint, the ECHR does not appear to have taken any action on the matter.
Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, said he has not been asked to speak about the complaint and that no progress reports have been provided.
Three months ago, Silver Voices lodged a new complaint against the NHS, alleging that “blatant” age discrimination is taking place in shingles vaccination.
The charity says the equality watchdog routinely ignores older people because it is too concerned about race and transgender issues.
Vaccines are offered to people when they reach age 65, unless they are already between 66 and 69, in which case they have to wait until age 70 and then become ineligible at age 80.
The ECHR has not even confirmed that it is examining this complaint.
Mr Reed told the Daily Mail: “We should expect all forms of discrimination to be treated equally by the ECHR, but sadly this is not the case.”
‘This organisation, which has a budget of £18m, of which staff costs account for £14m, routinely ignores older people.
‘The main public service used by older people is the NHS and yet the EHRC appears uninterested in tackling institutional ageism in the NHS, despite thousands of older people’s lives being at stake through its policies.
“There needs to be a fundamental review of the effectiveness and value for money of the ECHR and a review of equality legislation by the next Government to ensure that endemic age discrimination against 12 million older people is eliminated.”
A spokesperson for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: “The EHRC receives complaints every week about allegations of illegal activity contrary to the Equality Act 2010.
‘We consider each complaint carefully and take action where appropriate.
‘As Britain’s equality regulator, we take our obligation to protect and promote equality for all very seriously.
“We are addressing issues that specifically affect older people through several of our priority work programs.”
A spokesperson for NHS England said: “NHS staff work around the clock to care for millions of patients a year, and clinical needs and the best interests of the patient are always the priority.”
“Advances in healthcare have helped people live longer than ever, and it is essential that older people are supported to remain as healthy and independent as possible, for as long as possible, and that they receive the highest quality care.” quality when they need it.
The NHS follows guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization on vaccine eligibility, including the shingles vaccine, and the UK National Screening Committee advises ministers and the NHS on who should be eligible for vaccination. detection.
