Dignity Through Action

The national policy context to the Dignity in Care initiative goes back to the National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People (1993), which included Standard 1 Age Discrimination which required health and social care agencies to ensure that their policies and procedures did not discriminate against older people and Standard 4 General Hospital Care which recommended that general hospitals ensure older people receive appropriate care in hospital settings.

Dignity in Care also became a key programme in the NSF follow up document ‘A new ambition for older age – Next steps for implementing the National Service Framework for Older People’ (April 2006) building on the foundation set in the previous National Service Framework for Older People (2003).

Ivan Lewis Care Services Minister launched the dignity challenges in November 2006 following a number of listening events and an online survey that developed learning of what dignity means to older people. This discussion paper details the Dignity Challenge and identifies direct links to existing national and local performance measures as well as an initial assessment of current policies and practices and proposals to fully meet the Dignity Challenge and seek to collaborate with the Health and Social Care Advisory service in their development of standards.

Work undertaken by the Social Care Institute for Excellence has set out the expectations of the ten dignity challenges, which are identified below as high quality care services that respect people’s dignity should include:

  1. Zero tolerance to all forms of abuse
  2. Support people with the same respect as you would want for yourself or a member of your family
  3. Treat each person as an individual by offering personalised services
  4. Enable people to maintain the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control
  5. Listen and support people who want to express their needs and wants
  6. Respect peoples right to privacy
  7. Ensure people feel able to complain without fear of retribution
  8. Engage with family members and carers in care partners
  9. Assist people to maintain confidence and a positive self esteem
  10. Act to alleviate people’s loneliness and isolation.

Definition of Dignity

Dignity has been identified as consisting of a number of overlapping aspects of: Respect, Privacy, Autonomy and Self Worth and has been defined as: “a state, quality or manner worthy of esteem or respect; and (by extension) self-respect. Dignity in care, therefore, means the kind of care, in any setting, which supports and promotes, and does not undermine, a person’s self-respect regardless of any difference”.

Building on the dignity in care workshops that have been developed and delivered by HASCAS a section 64 Department of Health grant has been awarded to develop the Dignity Through Action Project

For more information contact:

Joan Burgess
Tel: 0207 307 2892
Email: Click here

Click here to download a flyer for Dignity Through Action Project (1.42MB)