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Privacy and Dignity in Domiciliary Care (Wales) Policy

Introduction

This policy sets out the values and principles underpinning {{org_field_name}}’s approach to privacy and dignity. Privacy is an absolute right of every person receiving care and is an integral to the preservation of each individual’s personal dignity.

{{org_field_name}} will work in collaboration with all legal and caring agencies to uphold these rights.

Our approach is in line with the principles and requirements of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, particularly Regulation 21: Standards of Care and Support — Overarching Requirements, Regulation 25: Respect and Sensitivity.

Policy Statement

The right to privacy is one of the fundamental rights of people receiving care and must be referred to in care plans. People’s preferred style of address must always be used, respect must always be shown by care workers to people in the home, to the household, to the home and to domestic routines.

• Care workers should only enter those parts of the premises for which they have been given explicit permission, must seek personal information only where it is essential to the service, should always respect privacy and dignity in giving intimate care, and should treat information about the person receiving care confidentially, participating in their meetings and conversations only with permission and where it is necessary.
• This domiciliary support service recognises that every person receiving care has the rights to live their life with privacy, dignity, independence and choice. {{org_field_name}} will always work in collaboration with all legal and caring agencies to uphold these rights.
• {{org_field_name}} recognises that people receiving care should control their own environment, have their privacy respected by care staff, who are regarded as visitors to their homes and expect confidentiality in all matters.
• Staff are expected to obtain permission from a person receiving care when using any of their possessions, including materials and equipment, and to treat all information disclosed by the person receiving care and their relatives in line with the service’s confidentiality of information policy.

{{org_field_name}} expects its staff to:

• treat each person receiving care with sensitivity, respect and thoughtfulness at all times
• respect the person’s sense of dignity and personal pride and need for privacy when offering any personal care and particularly when carrying out intimate care tasks, for example, dressing, bathing, feeding, changing dressings, giving out medication, helping them with their toilet routines, etc
• knock/ring/let the person know of their presence before entering a person’s accommodation
• make sure the person receiving care is always safe and secure when leaving the home
• address the person receiving care as they want to be known, including in the Welsh language if that is their wish
• talk to the person receiving care in a way that makes them feel comfortable
• respect and treat each person receiving care as an individual
• accept how the person receiving care wants to conduct their life
• enable people receiving care to do things for themselves whenever appropriate
• consult and involve people on any matter or activity connected to their care and to respect their wishes and feelings about the service provision
• respect the person receiving care’s culture, religious practices and beliefs
• never gossip about the person receiving care
• never discuss private or personal issues about a person receiving care in public
• avoid the use of patronising or insulting language
• give appropriate room and personal space to when going about their work.

Training

All staff must understand and follow the policy on privacy and dignity.

Induction training on privacy and dignity has been developed in line with the All Wales Induction Framework for Health and Social Care.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}

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