Care values in health and social care settings

Care values in health and social care settings

Care Values

Individuality: Each individual deserves to be treated as a unique person, with their own desires, needs, and preferences.

Rights: Individuals are entitled to their own set of rights — this involves respecting confidentiality, supporting an individual’s decision-making, and ensuring freedom of speech.

Choice: Every individual should have the ability to make choices concerning their care, involving them in any decision-making process and recognising their right to accept or reject any form of care suggested.

Privacy: Providing a sense of privacy to individuals is a must. This involves treating personal information with confidentiality, giving space for personal activities, and considering the individual’s need for personal space.

Independence: Empower individuals to do things for themselves, providing support only when needed. This promotes a sense of self-dignity and control over their own lives.

Respect and Diginity in Care

Respect: All individuals must be treated with respect irrespective of their personal situation or circumstances. It is about recognising the individual’s worth and treating them appropriately.

Dignity: Personal dignity should be upheld at all times. Dignity is associated with treating the individual with a sense of value and worth.

Empathy: It is also important to empathise with the individual’s circumstances, understanding and recognising their feelings and experiences.

Confidentiality: Confidentiality is ensuring any information about the individual is only shared on a ‘need to know’ basis and respecting one’s privacy.

Promoting Equality and Diversity

Equality: It involves treating everyone equally, regardless of their age, race, gender, nationality, disability, or any other characteristic that may subject them to discrimination.

Diversity: Understand and respect the differences between individuals, recognising that everyone is unique. Ensuring that individuals are not just treated equally, but inclusively, to accommodate those differences.

Inclusion: Inclusion is about ensuring that every individual has access to the same opportunities and is able to participate without any barriers.

Ensuring Safety in Care

Risk reduction: As far as is reasonably possible, reduce risks to the individual’s safety. This involves identifying potential hazards and acting to prevent incidents from occurring.

Protection from harm and abuse: All individuals have the right to be protected from harm and abuse. Any form of abuse, neglect or harm should be promptly reported and actions should be taken to stop it.

Responsibility: Care providers have a responsibility to maintain the individuals’ well-being and safeguard them from any harm. This involves providing safe and secure care environments.