The Care Certificate Workbook: Understanding Privacy and Dignity in Care, Summaries of History

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THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK

Privacy and

Dignity

The CARE CERTIFICATE

Standard

What you need to know

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Privacy and

dignity

Two important values when

providing care and support are:

The safeguarding and wellbeing of individuals are very important. As far as possible, you should get to know each individual; their background and ideas, wishes, likes and dislikes. You should always provide personalised care and support that puts an individual at the centre of their care. You should enable them to be as independent as possible and respect their privacy and dignity. Working in this way reduces the risk of an individual being treated in a way that is degrading or harmful.

  Privacy: giving someone space where and when they need it   Dignity: focusing on the value of every individual, including:   respecting their views, choices and decisions   not making assumptions about how they want to be treated   working with care and compassion   communicating directly with the individual whenever possible.

Privacy of information

Part of providing good care and support involves building trust and confidence and having the best interests of individuals in mind. Do not discuss personal information where others might overhear or by using too loud a voice. Personal information includes things like their health conditions, sexual orientation, personal history or social circumstances. Individuals may tell you other private information that they trust you to keep to yourself. Unless it is necessary to pass this on for health and social care reasons you should keep this confidential. That will have the added benefit of it helping to build trust.

Confidentiality is a very important right of individuals who receive care and support. Information should always be shared on a need-to-know basis only, for example with other workers involved in their care. You should not share information with anybody else, even the person’s family or friends, without their permission. For example, an individual may not want a friend to know about their health or if they have been unhappy.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Making choices

To promote the dignity of all individuals they should be fully involved in any decision that affects their care, including personal decisions (such as what to eat, what to wear and what time to go to bed), and wider decisions about their care or support.

Choices can only be made if people have information. If they know the options, the risks and possible implications they can make the choice that is right for them. This is ‘informed’ choice. Sometimes decisions are difficult even when an individual has all the information available. There are a number of ways that you could help the individual to make informed choices. You can explain information, find people who can share their experiences or ask for the help of specialist workers. It might also support them to involve other people they trust, like friends or relatives. An advocate might be an additional option to help someone to make a decision where they need additional help to understand and consider their options and the risks.

Sometimes an individual may not be able to understand and retain the information they need to make a decision or communicate their choice. If this is the case they may lack the mental capacity to make the decision.

The individual may be able to make day-to-day decisions, for example what to wear and what they want to eat, but not able to make complex decisions - for example, about money or medical issues. In situations where you are not entirely sure about the individual’s capacity, please seek additional advice or guidance.

Risk assessment

When looking at options that you are helping a person make decisions about, risk assessments are a legal requirement and will give clear guidance on how to keep people safe and prevent danger, harm and accidents. Every individual should have a risk assessment as part of their care, support, rehabilitation or treatment plan. This will have information on the person’s daily care and support, for example personal hygiene or mobility, and how best to protect them and others from harm.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

A risk assessment contains information on possible hazards to do with the care and support provided and steps that need to be taken to control any risks.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) propose five steps to risk assessments:

1. Identify the hazards.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions.
4. Record your findings and implement them.
5. Review your assessment and update if necessary. (www.hse.gov.uk/risk/controlling-risks.htm)

If a new activity is going to be introduced, the fives steps of risk assessment must be followed first.

Everyone’s choices are shaped by things like their background, values, culture, religion or similar beliefs (if any), education or past experiences. Equally, everyone has the right to weigh up and take risks that they believe will make their life enjoyable and worthwhile. As a worker you can give your view if the decision affects their health or social care, but it is the individual’s right to make a choice and take any risks once they understand all the information available and are fully aware of the risks. Risk enablement involves supporting individuals to identify and assess their own risks and then enabling them to take the risks they choose.

The person-centred approach in health and social care tries to involve the individual in the planning of their care and support as much as possible. However, there might be times when someone is unhappy with decisions that have been made on their behalf or with the choices they are offered. If this is not within your power to change you should tell them about their right to complain and support them to follow the complaints procedure.

Supporting active participation

Active participation is a way of working that supports an individual’s right to participate in the activities and relationships of everyday life as independently as possible. The individual is an active partner in their own care or support rather than being passive. The individual is the ‘expert on themselves’ who knows best the way of life that matters to them, and the worker must listen and take this into account at all times. For example, when it is a birthday or a special occasion, the worker must ask the individual if and how they would like to celebrate rather than making assumptions or telling others about the occasion without their permission. Taking control of their own care and support helps an individual build their identity and self-esteem. You should also keep equality and diversity in mind, giving every individual an equal opportunity of achieving their goals, valuing their diversity and finding solutions that work for them.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK

Privacy and

Dignity

The CARE CERTIFICATE

What do you know now?

Standard

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Activity 7.1a

In relation to care practice,

describe what is meant

by the terms privacy and

dignity.

Privacy is...

Dignity is...

Describe - To describe means to create

a picture with words but not simply writing

a list of bullet points.

Describe - to describe means to create a

picture with words but not simply writing

a list of bullet points.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Activity 7.2c

It is essential that you do not

disclose anything about an

individual that they wish to

be kept private, unless it is

appropriate to do so. Explain why

this is so important. You could

include the aspects of a person’s

life in the grey boxes in your

answer.

Health condition

Social circumstances

Sexual orientation Personal history

Explain - to explain something you will

need to provide a clear account of your

understanding including details like why

and how.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Activity 7.3a

There are a number of ways

that you can help individuals

to make informed choices.

Describe three different

ways in the boxes below. An

example has been provided

for you.

1. Provide as much information as possible

Describe - To describe means to create

a picture with words but not simply writing

a list of bullet points.

Describe - to describe means to create a

picture with words but not simply writing

a list of bullet points.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Activity 7.3d

Part i) For each of the

statements below, decide

whether you need to support

the individual to question or

challenge the decision.

Would you support the individual to question or challenge the decision?

An individual has been transferred to a new service or situation without being informed of the change

YES NO

An individual has consented to being referred to a speech therapist for support after a stroke

YES NO

An individual’s diet plan has been changed but they are not sure why

YES NO

Part i) Thinking about the statements above, describe why you would need to support individuals to question or challenge decisions made about them by others. Include the following in your answer:

Confidence

Empower

Self-esteem Person-centred care

Describe - To describe means to create

a picture with words but not simply writing

a list of bullet points.

Describe - to describe means to create a

picture with words but not simply writing

a list of bullet points.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Activity 7.4d

As part of your duty of care, you have

a responsibility to support individuals

to question or challenge the decisions

that are made about them by others,

especially if these decisions have

been made without their involvement

or consent. For the two examples

below, state how you would support

the individuals to question or challenge

the decision and also describe how

you would report your concerns to a

relevant person.

State how you would support the individual to question or challenge the decision

Describe how you would report any concerns you have to the relevant person (this could include a senior member of staff, carer or family member)

Example 1: An individual tells you that their medication has been changed and they are experiencing side effects; they think this is because of another pre-existing condition.

Example 2: One of the individuals you support who has dementia has been declined access to a service or activity as it is believed it may cause unwanted negative emotions.

Describe: to describe means

to create a picture with words

but not simply writing a list of

bullet points. Include details like

why and how.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Activity 7.5a,

b & d

Part ii)

Describe the importance

of how valuing individuals,

such as the one above,

helps to contribute to

and encourage active

participation. You could use

the example to help you

describe your points.

Describe - To describe means to create

a picture with words but not simply writing

a list of bullet points.

Describe - to describe means to create a

picture with words but not simply writing

a list of bullet points.

THE CARE CERTIFICATE WORKBOOK STANDARD 7

Activity 7.5c

Complete the diagram

below to list other ways you

can use to support active

participation.

Ways to

support active

participation could

include...

List - this term means to identify the

main points which can be written as

bullet points