Promoting The Rights And Responsibilities Of Service Users In Care Settings

AO1: Promoting The Rights And Responsibilities Of Service Users In Care Settings

Task 1B.

Give a comprehensive account of ways that service users in Queensland can be supported to exercise their rights. Remember to include:

Peoples voices and the need to be heard.
Up to date information and complex nature of decisions to be made.
Providing active support.
Advocacy.

The way a care worker can help promote service users rights is:

Give the service users confidence
Preserve confidentiality
Helping them find information on particular topics which is up to date
Give them correct and accurate information
Listen attentively to the service users and take consideration
supply the service users with a service which will help them gain advice from,

All of these can be done by:

Effective communication is central to encouraging service users to express their preferences and views, and also to help them achieve independence.
Effective verbal communication would involve using ‘open’ questions, such as ‘what do you think?’ Or ‘how do you feel about...?’ These sorts of questions allow for fuller answers. However sometimes ‘closed’ questions are needed to gain basic information such as an individuals’ age, name and marital status. Leading, (otherwise known as biased) questions should be avoided, as they encourage the listener to give the response they think is expected, such as ‘all of the staff has been very nice to you, haven’t they?’ Using multiple questions should also be avoided, as they can confuse the listener, it is better to ask one question at a time and wait for a response before asking another.
Effective non-verbal communication involves using eye contact (so long as it is not over done), facial expressions, such as smiling to convey kindness and leaning forward slightly to show interest in what the other is saying. It can also help to be positioned at the same level as the service user, and to mirror their facial expression (very subtly), which is often done unconsciously by people when they are trying to establish an equal relationship,

Effective communication is important for identifying the needs of service users, and assessing what treatments they could benefit from, giving information, and encouraging them to take control and make choices.

Peoples voices being heard:

Service users’ voice doesn’t mean talking loudly or shouting to be heard, and it is not about drowning out other people's voices, including care workers. Service users’ voice is about considering the perspectives and ideas of Service users’, respecting what everyone has to say, taking risks, listening, sharing, and working together.

Care workers should be supportive of users. There are a number of ways in which this can be achieved, including:

Listening to service users
Giving accurate information
Giving up to date information
Finding out facts
Giving encouragement
Maintaining confidentiality
Providing an advocacy service.

Care workers should encourage service users to speak and to express their opinions. This can be done through:

Careful listening
Encouraging the service user to put forward opinions and ideas
Making notes to make sure ideas are not forgotten and to show the service user their thoughts are ...

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Care workers should be supportive of users. There are a number of ways in which this can be achieved, including:

Listening to service users
Giving accurate information
Giving up to date information
Finding out facts
Giving encouragement
Maintaining confidentiality
Providing an advocacy service.

Care workers should encourage service users to speak and to express their opinions. This can be done through:

Careful listening
Encouraging the service user to put forward opinions and ideas
Making notes to make sure ideas are not forgotten and to show the service user their thoughts are valued.

In Queensland once a week a care worker, goes around asking the service users if they want anything, or if they want anything to change, I think in this a very good idea, as this will let all the service users voice to be heard. Every month the service users and the care workers have a meeting, where they discuss things, also in this way care users’ right is being obtained, as this is letting the service users’ voice to be heard. These meetings are not ‘one- way events’, the decision that the care workers make are again discussed with service users. Even at very young age children are encouraged to contribute to the way a setting is run.

it is important that service users are encouraged to make their own choices, for example if a carer chose what activities to involve a service user in, the service user may not enjoy themselves as much, feel bored, and miss out on socialising with others who share the same interests. Intellectual stimulation and socialising are important for maintaining mental well-being; which is very important,

When a service user finds it hard to voice their opinions, they should not be left untreated. There may be many reasons why they are not letting the care workers know how they want to be treated. Here are some reasons:

They may not know what options or care is available
They may not know where to get information from
They may be some physical difficulties that could be stopping them to get the information.
The service user’s feelings could be stopping them from getting the information.

Empowering service users by letting their voice being hard may help to increase their self-esteem, and individuals with high levels of self-esteem are believed to be less likely to become depressed or anxious in comparison to those with lower self-esteem. If service users are constantly having things done ‘for’ them, they may become withdrawn, feel that their input isn`t necessary and in turn have lower self-esteem, therefore it is important for carers to show they are undertaking tasks ‘with’ them instead. For example, when a service user is deciding on what treatments to opt for a carer should provide them with required information, but allow ‘them’ to make the choice, and let their voice be heard, and trying to do something about it,. Essentially, a carer should be assisting the service user to maintain their lifestyle (by as much as is possible) by providing the necessary care, rather than the service user altering their lifestyle to fit in with how the care setting is run.

Drake from the Queensland enjoys, in a sunny to spend his day outside in garden, relaxing, however in the Queensland garden, there is not enough place for him to do relax. Drake has put his point forward, and has told the care workers to do something about this, after hearing his point the care workers have discus it and come with a conclusion which is that, their going to crop all the plants in the garden and make a sitting place for drake and other service users.

Up to date information and complex nature of decisions to be made

It is important that the information care workers receive is correct and accurate about the service user. After receiving the accurate information, is the law that the information must be up-to-date by the care worker. Also the service users are allowed to ask for information which is relevant to their needs. They have a right to be informed of any information which needs changing. If they are not informed then the information will be inappropriate. For example if a service user wants to receive treatment from NHS, the caseworkers would be Providing information that is out of date, which will make life difficult for the service user and the NHS people.

By giving the service users the right and accurate information, the care workers will be supporting their rights. The service users will have the most current information enabling them to do what they intend according to their rights and enabling to give out data which is accurate.

Care workers should make sure the information they give to the service users is accurate and should check it before they give it out. In this way there wouldn’t be any confusion. All information provided by the care workers should be:

Reliable
Relevant.
Useful
Before giving information, checking it.
Legible information

When a care woke is giving information to service users there are certain guidelines that must be followed:

Be aware of the needs of the needs the service user receiving the information
Make sure the information is up to date
Go to the most direct source to gather the information. For example about the Queensland goes to the NHS.
Check the information you are providing is relevant
Information should be provided in a format in which is easier to understand.

Also it is very important that large amount of information should be broken down into manageable sized portions so that a service user can understand and make decisions most appropriate to their circumstances. Not to do means service users could feel overwhelmed. This shows a lack of respect on the part of care workers. As a result, service users are not likely to feel valued and, even worst; they could make a wrong decision.

By giving the service users the right and current information, the care workers will be supporting them to exercise their rights. The service users will have the most current information enabling them to do what they intend according to their rights.

In Queensland information is never up to date, Kate how is 45 years old, visit the doctors every so often, the information is sent to the doctors from Queensland and it is often inappropriate, this not only confuses the doctor but also confuses the patient too, and sometimes it even confuses the care workers themselves. It is very important to keep data up-to-date so problems are not accruing.

Providing active support and Advocacy:

Advocacy is when care worker else helps a service user to have their say, helping them put right something that’s wrong, like making a complaint or putting their side of the story across in situations where you feel thy are unable to.

An advocate is someone who will:

listen to you
help you look at your options
support you in making a decision
help you have your say

An advocate will not:

judge you
tell you what to do
talk to anyone else without your permission

Advocates have supported young people to get their voice heard:

in school
at home
in care
in hospital
in housing

It is important that care workers do not make all the decisions the service users because of the following:

Residents will not be practicing the things they can already do so they will forget how to do it later on.

Sometimes residents are capable of doing some tasks without them even knowing. This is because the care worker does everything for them, and they think they don’t know how to do it.
When the care workers do tasks for the residents, they lose confidence of doing it themselves later on when they have to.
They feel that everything is being done for them and they just sit, eat, sleep and take part in a few activities. It makes them depressed.

Advocacy:

Advocacy enables individuals to do more for themselves and lessens their dependency on other people.

Advocacy should help people to make informed choices. An advocate must ensure the service user is making real choices based on good quality information.

Advocacy helps service users make decisions about their care

Many of those who most need support to get their point across are also those who have least confidence in their own opinions and aspirations and who may therefore be easily influenced. Independent advocacy is a good way to support people to develop their own opinions, aspirations and confidence.

. Independent advocacy

An independent advocate is someone who is not connected with the service user, their family and carers or the services that have a strong influence on the life of the service user.

Although health or social care workers, or family members can act on behalf of service users, sometimes support is needed from someone who doesn’t have to worry about any conflicts of interest and who, therefore, can objectively support the service user through the maze of information, questions and decisions.

Advocacy organisations exist to fulfil this role. Provided by voluntary organisations and commissioned by Primary Care Trusts these advocates are independent from statutory organisations and from all service provider agencies.

The independent advocate can support the service user in different ways and at different levels, for example:

The service user may ask the advocate for information, such as their rights under the mental health act, and having talked it through, decides to speak to their doctor or another health professional themselves.

The service user decides to speak up their self at a meeting with the back-up of an advocate being there.
The service user asks the advocate to take a more active part are meetings
The service user asks the advocate to speak up for them at a meeting.

If a service user has difficulty with making decisions then they could benefit from having an advocate appointed. An advocate could be someone close to the service user, such as a friend, family member or perhaps a trained volunteer who, when using citizen advocacy, will speak on their behalf. It would be inappropriate for a carer or care manager to take on this role; having an advocate who is under no pressure to meet the needs of the organisation is essential as an advocate must represent the best interests of the service user. An advocate must be able to communicate effectively, be sensitive and supportive towards the service user, be honest, and have patience with them. The use of advocacy may be needed because the service user: