Every care home to get dignity training
Thanks to Sir Michael Parkinson’s call to action more than 10,000
people have now signed up to be Dignity Champions – all of them
committed to playing their part in a movement to put dignity at
the heart of care.
Dignity Champions, part of the Dignity in Care Campaign, have
voluteered to promote good care for the elderly. Their aim is to
change the culture of care services and place a greater emphasis
on the quality of experience of those services.
An independent review of the campaign published today has found
that:
Dignity Champions feel empowered to develop their own
initiatives to promote Dignity in Care;the campaign has created
leaders and role models, whose actions inspire others; the
campaign has provided immense pride and satisfaction to those
providing services and care; andthe campaign has pushed dignity
higher up the agenda in care.
Dignity Ambassador Sir Michael Parkinson said:
“I have had have the great honour of meeting some of our
nation's real unsung heroes, hearing their stories and
bringing attention to what they are doing to hopefully inspire
many others to follow suit. They are ordinary people doing
everyday things. But in their own way having tremendous impact on
those around them.”
To support the campaign, new training materials will this month
be provided to every care home and homecare provider in the
country to ensure everyone in care are treated with dignity and
respect at all times.
The training materials provide practical advice and exercises on
how to improve dignity in the areas that really matter most to
people receiving care. These include communication, privacy,
social inclusion, diversity, eating and nutrition, pain control
and hygiene.
Care Services minister Phil Hope said:
“Its inspiring that over the past three years we over 10,000
people have signed up to become Dignity Champions to promot more
respectful care across the country. They have made a huge
contribution to bringing dignity up the agenda in care homes and
hospitals across the country.
“We must also ensure care staff at all levels are trained and
equipped to deliver dignity in care. That is why we are making
training materials available to every care home and every home
care provider in the country.”
Case Study
Newcastle Dignity Champions Chris Dugdale and Lead Community
Dietitian Rachel Skinner are amongst many who have used the
campaign as inspiration to look at various areas of the care they
provide and how they could make improvements.
They concentrated on the Meals at Home service, providing
training for drivers who delivered the meals, realising that they
could provide much more of a service than simply delivering meals
and ensuring people received the right nutrition.
David Stevenson, Meals at Home Distribution Driver said:
“We need to make sure they’re well enough in that minute that we
have before we leave them – we may be the only person that they
see. We’re more of a carer in a way now even though we only spend
a brief moment with them.”
Ramsey, Meals at Home user said:
“Sometimes during the day you never speak to another person – the
driver coming in always has that cheery word to you and
conversation, and you really look forward to him coming.”
The improvements that Chris Dugdale and Rachel Skinner have made
also ensured that people receive the right nutrition.
Care Services Manager Chris Dugdale said:
“We have an example of a service user who put on seven kilos with
support over a year. But it’s not just about him putting on the
weight – because his health improved he could then go out
shopping, so it’s about inclusiveness. It’s about being able to
take part in the everyday things we all take for granted.”
Notes to Editors
For further details or to sign up to become a dignity champion
see www.dignityincare.org.uk
Today also marks the publication of the Guide for Overview and
Scrutiny Committees "Walk a mile in my shoes"
which is designed to assist Overview and Scrutiny Committees and
others in discussing what dignity is, why it matters and how to
assess whether an organisation or service treats the people whom
it serves with dignity and respect.
Dignity Champions are being encouraged to contact their local
councillors to ask them to undertake a local scrutiny review
around dignity in care.
High quality care services that respect people’s dignity should:
Have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuseSupport people with
the same respect you would want for yourself or a member of your
familyTreat each person as an individual by offering a
personalised serviceEnable people to maintain the maximum possible
level of independence, choice and control Listen and support
people to express their needs and wantsRespect people’s right to
privacyEnsure people feel able to complain without fear of
retributionEngage with family members and carers as care
partnersAssist people to maintain confidence and a positive self
esteemAct to alleviate people’s loneliness and isolation
Dignity Champions include nurses, care home staff, voluntary
sector workers, porters, and managers in health and social care.
All of them are committed to making a difference to the way in
which older people are treated in care. What they do in their
roles as Dignity Champions varies widely but what they all share
is a commitment to making a difference, however small, to the way
older people experience care.
The Department of Health has collaborated with the homecare and
care home sector such as the UK Homecare Association, Ceretas, and
the National Homecare Council to provide the training materials.
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk