Equality considerations

Advice

NICE is committed to promoting equality, eliminating unlawful discrimination and fostering good relations between people with particular protected characteristics and others. In producing guidance and advice, NICE aims to comply fully with all legal obligations to: promote race and disability equality and equality of opportunity between men and women, eliminate unlawful discrimination on grounds of race, disability, age, sex, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity (including women post-delivery), sexual orientation, and religion or belief (these are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010).

Stroke incidence increases with age and is highest in people over 70 years old. Men are at a higher risk of having a stroke at a younger age than women. Black people are almost twice as likely to have a stroke as white people. On average, people of black African, black Caribbean and South Asian descent in the UK have strokes earlier on in their lives. Age, gender and ethnicity are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.