Human rights ignored by over half of public bodies

More than half of public bodies in England are not taking the
Human Rights Act 1998 into account in their service delivery,
according to a report by the Audit Commission, writes
Sally Gillen. 

It said the act may stall because of the lack of progress by
public bodies, which are key to putting service users at the heart
of policy and decision making.

Of the 175 organisations surveyed, which included councils and
health bodies, 58 per cent had not adopted a strategy for human
rights.

Audit Commission chairperson James Strachan said: “The
costs of litigation can be substantial as can the damage done to an
organisation’s reputation. A proactive approach by public
bodies to implementing the act’s provisions is
crucial.”

The report said that training for frontline staff is vital for
service delivery in areas such as social care, health and
asylum.