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Autonomy and Choice in Care Homes (Scotland) Policy

Policy Statement

This policy sets out the values, principles and procedures, which underpin {{org_field_name}}’s approach to a person receiving our care’s rights and abilities to choose how they want to live their life in a care home, which should also be of their choice. The policy is produced to meet the requirements of the national health and social care standards, My Support, My Life, which throughout emphasise the importance of people using services to choose what is right for them. For example, under:

• Responsive Care and Support:
a) 1.17: I can choose from as wide a range of services and providers as possible, which have been planned, commissioned and procured to meet my needs
• Be Included:
a) 5.15: If I am an adult living in a care home, I can choose to see visitors in private and plan for a friend, family member or my partner to sometimes stay over
• Wellbeing:
a) 1.25: I can choose to have an active life and participate in a range of recreational, social, creative, physical and learning activities every day, both indoors and outdoors
b) 1.26: I can choose to spend time alone
c) 1.33: I can choose suitably presented and healthy meals and snacks, including fresh fruit and vegetables, and participate in menu planning.

Exercising Choice

{{org_field_name}} works on the principle that people receiving care should be able to exercise as wide a range of choice as possible over the care and support and in the course of their daily lives. In line with the national care standards, they should be able to carry out their own financial, legal and other personal business at times that suits them unless there are legal reasons for not doing so.

The individual must be able to decide who should know about and have access to their personal business. The individual must also be able to have the choice of keeping and controlling their money and personal belongings, unless specific legal arrangements have been made that decide otherwise.

For example, a person who might lack the mental capacity to make informed choices will be assessed for their capacity, or lack of, it in line with mental incapacity act procedures. The home will always encourage and enable people receiving care to make the choices they are capable of making.

Policy Features

1. {{org_field_name}} seeks to help prospective people receiving care make a sound choice about whether they wish to move into the home by:
   a. providing all necessary information about the home and its services
   b. relating the information it provides to the individual’s assessed needs and expressed wishes
   c. allowing time for the person to take a considered decision
   d. facilitating the involvement in the decision of the person’s friends, relatives or advisors where this is indicated
   e. making it possible for the person to visit the home, meet staff and other residents, and experience the home’s services on a trial basis.
2. {{org_field_name}} seeks to help people receiving care to exercise their right to make informed choices about:
   a. the care and support they receive from the staff, including the ability to employ their own personal assistant in the chosen accommodation
   b. the medical or other treatment they receive from visiting practitioners
   c. their food, drink, diet and mealtimes
   d. the visitors they receive
   e. the activities they engage in
   f. the services they receive from other organisations
   g. any other aspects of their lifestyles with which {{org_field_name}} can provide assistance
   h. the risks sometimes associated with exercising choice
   i. their accommodation and personal facilities.
3. In respect of care and support, {{org_field_name}} seeks to maximise choice by:
   a. listening to, recording and, as far as possible, following individual’s preferences for the staff who provide their care and support
   b. showing sensitivity to people’s feelings on the way in which services that might invade their privacy or dignity are provided
   c. ensuring that all care and support is person-centred and appropriate to their social and cultural values, and that it relates appropriately to that individual’s needs and preferences.
4. In respect of medical and other treatment, {{org_field_name}} seeks to maximise choices by:
   a. helping people to select practitioners they feel comfortable with
   b. providing or accessing comprehensive information on health matters of concern to people receiving care
   c. making available appropriate and individualised support to people receiving care who need help with medication or other health-related procedures which fall within {{org_field_name}}’s competence.
5. In respect of food, drink, diet and mealtimes, {{org_field_name}} will maximise choices by:
   a. listening to, recording and, as far as possible, following individual people’s preferences
   b. arranging for as wide a range of choice as possible over when, how, with who and where a person takes meals
   c. sensitively providing assistance with matters of food, drink and diet when such help is necessary or requested.
6. In respect of visitors, {{org_field_name}} seeks to maximise choices by:
   a. listening to, recording and observing people’s views on the guests they wish and do not wish to receive
   b. making available facilities for people to receive and entertain guests whenever they choose
   c. ensuring that people’s guests are made welcome by staff and given every necessary assistance during their visits.
7. In respect of activities, {{org_field_name}} seeks to maximise choice by:
   a. arranging as varied and stimulating a social programme as possible
   b. helping people receiving care to access as wide a range of activities as they would wish
   c. ensuring as far as possible that necessary facilities, assistance and equipment are provided for social activities
   d. where possible, assisting people receiving care to take part in activities outside the home
   e. providing comprehensive information on all available social and community activities that might be of interest to people receiving care
   f. personalising social activities to individual needs and preferences.
8. In respect of the services received from other organisations, {{org_field_name}} seeks to maximise choices by:
   a. making available information on educational, social, community and voluntary activities in which people receiving care might participate
   b. supporting people who wish to participate in activities provided by other organisations
   c. developing and retaining good relationships with as wide a range as possible of organisations that might offer activities of interest.
9. In respect of other aspects of people receiving care’s lifestyles with which {{org_field_name}} might be able to provide assistance, {{org_field_name}} seeks to:
   a. ensure privacy for any sexual or intimate activities or relationships in which they wish to engage
   b. help people to make the choices they would wish about their clothing and personal appearance
   c. support people to exercise their political and civic rights
   d. respect and accommodate individuals’ personal idiosyncrasies and eccentricities that do not cause offence to other people
   e. give relevant information to encourage people to change lifestyle behaviours that are a risk to their health and wellbeing.
10. In respect of the risks sometimes associated with exercising choice, {{org_field_name}} seeks to:
    a. provide people with as much relevant information as possible about the risks and benefits of the choices they make
    b. carry out risk assessments with people receiving care where appropriate
    c. propose alternative options to practices possibly carrying high risks
    d. support people receiving care in taking responsible risks where there are potential benefits
    e. involve in consultations over the taking of risks any appropriate or nominated friend, relative, representative or advocate.

Training

All staff learn how to recognise the rights of people receiving care to make choices as part of their induction and ongoing training.

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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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