Chapter 27: Living with and beyond cancer
Skip chapter table of contents and go to main content
Legal and professional issues
Equality Act 2010
People with cancer are included in the remit for the Equality Act (2010) (Government Equalities Office [116]) and have legal protection from the point of first diagnosis of their cancer. The Equality Act defines a ‘disabled person’ as an individual with a ‘physical (including sensory) impairment or mental impairment which has a substantial and long‐term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day‐to‐day activities’. ‘Long‐term’ means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least 12 months, and cancer is covered from the point of diagnosis (NHS Scotland [195]).
Flexible working
Depending on circumstances, sometimes an employee will need to take care of a family member who becomes ill. Under the Work and Families Act (The National Archives [266]), carers now have the right to request flexible working.
