Policy Statement 

Bright Brains Global will ensure that the way in which its affairs are conducted, and the compassionate care it delivers to each and every Client, reflects very best practice towards establishing relationships which are founded in respect for one another, and the right to have privacy and dignity recognized and maintained.

Definition

Dignity is the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically.

Respect is a positive action shown towards someone.

Purpose

To ensure that all care workers employed are equipped with the necessary information  needed to  provide care in the right way and that they abide by this code.

Procedure

Entering Premises

Prior to entering the premises of a Client, care workers must knock, speak through the door and wait for permission to enter. Entry without permission is only acceptable in a clear emergency situation, where there are concerns regarding the safety of the Client, or where this has been approved in advance, and is incorporated into the Client’s Personal Care Plan.

Where the Client is deaf, or otherwise incapable of indicating their willingness to, and acceptance of, the care worker’s entry, then some other approach must be agreed and adopted at the time the service begins.

Personal Care Needs

Personal care needs can arise because of age or level of ability and usually involve toileting and medication. Bright Brains Global and its staff will respect the Client’s wish for privacy and the preservation of dignity at all times.

In each case:

• The Client will always be addressed in the manner they have indicated they prefer;
• The care worker must be made aware of the nature of the care needs;
• The views of the Client on support and assistance will take precedence, unless otherwise explicitly stated in the Personal Care Plan or concerns arise in relation to health and safety;
• The Client will have an individual care plan drawn up with details of the personal care needs and how these are to be addressed;
• If appropriate, written instructions from a professional person as to the nature of the care required may be obtained;
• When accompanying a Client to the toilet, assisting with bathing, dressing or other intimate tasks, care staff must endeavor to maintain a Client’s dignity and privacy, only undertaking those tasks that the Client is clearly unable to do.

Wherever possible the Client’s wishes will be respected concerning the sex of the care worker assigned, (in particular where a Genuine Occupational Requirement is evident) when intimate care is to be provided, although there is no automatic reason why a Client should raise concerns about a care worker of the opposite gender.

Promotion of Privacy and Dignity

Bright Brains Global recognizes that most interactions between care workers and their Clients demonstrate some form of dependence upon the care worker, and obligations exist therefore to ensure that a code of conduct is observed which ensures that all actions undertaken:

• are with the express wish of the Client;
• are conducted in such a way that the Client does not feel undervalued or inadequate, regardless of their level of understanding or ability to express their views;
• protect privacy and dignity, even when the Client is asleep or unconscious;
• promote respect between the care worker and the Client.

Without limiting the extent of the code of conduct in any way, such protection must be observed in relation to some of the more common activities associated with domiciliary care, such as: –

• Dressing and undressing;
• Bathing, washing, shaving and oral hygiene;
• Toilets and continence requirements;
• Medication requirements and other health related activities;
• Manual handling;
• Eating and meals;
• Handling personal possessions and documents;
• Entering the home, room, bathroom or toilet.

Clients’ Rights

Bright Brains Global will ensure that the rights of Clients are respected at all times. Specific attention is drawn to the following list of rights, which are to be observed at all times.

Clients have the right to:

• Have discussions about their care, treatment and support only taking place where they cannot be overheard by people for whom they were not intended;
• Have their needs properly assessed, and to have those needs met on a consistent basis, and to a defined level of quality;
• Have their personal preferences and lifestyle choices relating to their care respected at all times;
• Receive written information about the care they are receiving, together with its cost;
• Exercise an appropriate degree of control over their lives;
• Make informed choices and to take decisions;
• Make a complaint about any aspect of the service they are receiving;

• Receive care, attention, and services on an equal basis with all others, with particular reference to the protected characteristics described within the Equality Act 2010;
• Be protected from any abuse or conduct which is detrimental to their wellbeing and health;
• Privacy;
• Be treated in a manner which promotes autonomy, independence, dignity, wellbeing and understanding.

Review and Improvement

This Policy will be amended from time to time to ensure it remains up-to-date. 

Policy was last updated on 01/12/2021