Dyslexia - Guide for managers and colleagues

Welcome to this information guide about dyslexia and other Neuro Developmental Conditions (NDC’s). The term ‘dyslexia’ is often used in this document as a collective term to refer to all NDC’s. This guide has been written to provide information and guidance for staff with dyslexia, their managers, and colleagues.

Dyslexia is identified as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, as it is a specific difficulty, mainly affecting reading and spelling. According to the British Dyslexia Association, about 10% of the population is affected by dyslexia to some degree. The percentage is significantly higher amongst health care professionals.

Having dyslexia does not mean that you cannot achieve what you aspire to in your career. Many successful people with dyslexia have achieved a great deal in their lives such as Tom Cruise (Actor), Albert Einstein (Scientist), Andy Warhol (Artist), Jamie Oliver (Chef), Winston Churchill (Political leader), Agatha Christie (Author), Richard Branson (Entrepreneur), Tom Holland (Actor), Keira Knightley (Actor) and Paul Smith (Designer) to name a few.

The purpose of this guide is to help staff with dyslexia and their managers to look at the support available and the strategies that can be put in place to help colleagues work more effectively and easily in their roles. It will also provide readers with a greater awareness of disability, the Equality Act 2010, and the corresponding Disability Equality Duty, and what is meant by the term ‘discrimination’.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer, which means it is positive about employing disabled people. It has a ‘Duty of Care’ to make 'Reasonable Adjustments' within the workplace. The Trust values the skills and experience a diverse workforce brings.

• You are protected from discrimination following disclosure.
• Employers have a duty to support the needs of people with disabilities on an individual basis.
• Employers must make ‘reasonable adjustments’, under the law, to support the needs of staff with disabilities.
• To get the best support, employees must disclose their disability. Employers cannot meet staff needs if they do not know what those needs are.