Nurses and teachers fear the "stigma" of disability

Teachers, nurses and social workers are scared to disclose hidden disabilities and health conditions, the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has claimed.

As part of a year-long investigation into the three professions, the DRC this month published research indicating that major changes in employers' attitudes and behaviours are needed to create the kind of supportive environment where disclosure is encouraged.

Researchers from King's College London found that practitioners with mental health conditions were particularly reluctant to admit to them, fearing that they could lose their jobs - even though reasonable adjustments to help them work effectively and safely could be made if their employers knew of their condition.

The DRC has discovered that few of the 70-plus regulations and pieces of guidance setting out "fitness standards" in teaching, nursing and social care take any account of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), leaving disabled workers at risk of discrimination.

But the new research found that workers who know about the DDA are more confident that they can disclose their conditions without suffering adverse consequences.

Announcing the findings, the DRC urged employers in the professions to improve their disability awareness and create a culture of trust.