Right to confidentiality
Confidentiality is a state of maintaining privacy. We all have the right to privacy as well as confidentiality in our lives. Care workers must respect client's information. Care workers sometimes unknowingly break confidentiality by i.e.
- Allowing or showing someone’s personal notes to someone
- Shouting out over someone while they are trying to express them selves
- Mentioning someone’s name while giving an example of something involving the same person
- Calling out their names in a no office area to somebody that doesn’t need to know
Care workers should be able to respect individual’s private life and affairs. There are legal requirements to keep personal records confidential such as the data protection act 1998 which states that personal data or information should be obtained lawfully and fairly and it also states that data has to secure, accurate and that it can only be used for limited purposes. But unfortunately they are three ways in which care workers are allowed to break the law (confidentiality) i.e.
- If someone has said they are going to harm themselves
- If some said they intend to harm another person
- If someone has said they plan to be or have been involved in a criminal offence
If any of these occur care workers have the right to report it to the person responsible in the care setting. Before hand if a client for instance came to a care worker saying their problems; the clients must know they can trust their care workers. Clients may be put at risk and their self esteem damaged if confidential information is shared with others.
Choice
Choice empowers us as an individual. Everyone has choice. Care workers need to make sure that they give clients the opportunity to make choices. Choices could vary with individuals some is choice to be able to take medication, have operations and some could be down to food they want to eat or the shoes they want to wear. They also have the choice to discuss, personal issues with doctors and teachers. In order to make choices the client needs information so that they can make informed decisions. Care workers should demonstrate respect for individual by:
- Offering opportunities to make decision and have a choice
- Encouraging every individual to make decisions
- Be polite and respectful
- Concealing their own opinion in order to agree with client
- Giving praise for decisions made
Maintaining Dignity
Dignity means privacy. Service users have the right to privacy and dignity.
Care workers should:
- Always refer to them by their name
- Not embarrass them in front of anyone
- Don’t rub them of their self esteem
- Knock on the door before they get in
- Ask them if they need something
- Not speak over them
- Not make clients feel they have done something wrong
- Ask permission undertaking any care routine
- Check doors are closed or curtains pulled round during personal care routines
- If a client becomes distressed take him or her into a private area
- Clients should be able to see visitors or make phone calls in private
Carers need to recognise discriminatory prejudice, stereotypes and assumptions on grounds of race, gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity, disability, social class. Carers need to ensure discrimination does not damage client care quality
Effective communication and information
Effective communication means understanding the message being sent. Service users have the right to information concerning one’s self and they should be able to understand what is being communicated to them without barriers that could hinder the message from getting across.
Service users should i.e.
- Be speak in standard English at all times but if the clients is a non English speaker, the care worker should make arrangements for an interpreter
- When they are talking they shouldn’t be fast forward and make sure the right tone is used
- They should make sure the service users can get the information when requested
- They should send letters to residents
- They should have leaflets and booklets for more information so that service users can get information when needed
- Clients in care need to be supported by effective communication.
Safety and security
Everyone has the right to be safe and secure including care workers. Clients have the rights to be safe and secure from:
- Carelessness in the care setting
- Housekeeping. E.g. food, floor
- injury in their work place
- they have the right to good medications by qualified health care worker
- abuse e.g. sexually, physically and emotionally and neglect
In order for clients to be safe the workers should i.e.
- Ensure that they are aware of every individual coming into the building by providing CCTV, ID checking
- Provide signs in case they is a sloppy floor to avoid accidents e.g. falling
- Make sure that all the workers are qualified to handle their different professions
- They should prevent the spread of illness by throwing special bins and they should use antibacterial to prevent flu viruses
- Make sure all equipments and materials is safe to use
- Making sure there is enough fire exit
Health and safety at work at 1974 is designed to protect employees in the workplace from unsafe practices. The Act is designed to:
Ensure the safety and health of worker
Protect both clients and service users are safe using the workplace
Control the use of dangerous substances e.g. medicines and cleaning fluids