Health services and social care: human rights for ombudsman schemes

Published: 26 July 2019

Last updated: 26 July 2019

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What countries does this apply to?

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Wales

Health services and social care providers, including hospitals, mental health services, nursing and residential homes, and care or treatment facilities in other institutional settings, have a number of obligations under a range of human rights.

Search our guide by topic and follow the links to get detailed information and case law under the human rights relevant to your case.

Theme Topic Right
Detention care home residents freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
de facto freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
people with a mental health condition freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
prisoners with a mental health condition liberty and security
social isolation freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
solitary confinement freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
voluntary (not ‘sectioned’) patients freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
institutional and care settings adjustments for disabled people private and family life, protection from discrimination
continence issues private and family life
communications in freedom of expression
discrimination in protection from discrimination
dress code for staff freedom of thought, conscience and religion
food and water adequate standard of living
reasonable adjustments protection from discrimination
religious and other beliefs in freedom of thought, conscience and religion
special diets freedom of thought, conscience and religion, adequate standard of living
standards of care private and family life
surveillance in private and family life
life-and-death situations life-saving treatment right to life
failure to protect life right to life
lives at risk right to life
investigating death in health or public institutions right to life
dignity in death freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment, right to life
mental health prisoners with, conditions freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
restraint and freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
detention of people with, conditions freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
detention of prisoners with, conditions liberty and security
prisoners health freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
mental health conditions, with freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
pregnant freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
public health education right to health
improvement of right to health
protection of private and family life
screening programmes right to health
restraint death from use of right to life
use of freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
medical treatment access to right to social security
consent to freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment, private and family life
covert private and family life
denial of freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
dignity during freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
discrimination in provision of protection from discrimination
forced freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment, private and family life
information about private and family life
life-saving right to life
prisons, in freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment
reproductive rights private and family life
standards of private and family life
withheld private and family life

Case studies

Advice and support

If you think you might have been treated unfairly and want further advice, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

The EASS is an independent advice service, not operated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Phone: 0808 800 0082
 

Or email using the contact form on the EASS website.
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Call the EASS on:

0808 800 0082

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Call 0808 800 0082

Page updates

Published:

26 July 2019

Last updated:

26 July 2019

Related pages on this site

Human rights and complaints: for ombudsman schemes