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Supporting Self-care and Treatment (Scotland) Policy

Policy Statement

This care service (care home or domiciliary care) considers in line with the national health and care standards My Support, My Life that everyone has the right to freedom and choice over how they wish to live their lives and should be enabled to live with as much independence as possible. This includes aspects of caring for themselves, often referred to as “self-care”. Section 2 of My Support, My Life, “I am fully involved in all decisions about my care and support” includes several standards that are fully accepted by this services. For example:

Dignity and Respect

2.2.1 I can control my own care and support if this is what I want.

2.2 I am empowered and enabled to be as independent and as in control of my life as I want and can be.

2.3 I am supported to understand and uphold my rights.

2.4 I am supported to use independent advocacy if I want or need this.

2.5 If I need help managing my money and personal affairs, I am able to have as much control as possible and my interests are safeguarded.

2.6 I am as involved as I can be in agreeing and reviewing any restrictions to my independence, control and choice.

{{org_field_name}} accepts that the relationship between the role of {{org_field_name}} to “care for” an individual and to help an individual maintain their independence and autonomy through self-care is a complex one and believes that living with such independence is a key element in living with freedom and dignity.

{{org_field_name}} considers that people using its service should be able to express their views, so far as they are able to do so, about their care, treatment and support and should be involved in making decisions about their own care.

These decisions should then be reflected in the agreed plan of care for each individual. They should have their views and experiences taken into account in the way services are provided and delivered and should be helped to be self-caring wherever possible.

Where people require help in self-caring, or in making decisions about their care, they should be provided with the appropriate help and support, including independent advocacy.

{{org_field_name}} also recognises its legal and moral duty to protect the people receiving its care, some of whom are vulnerable and might not always be capable of making choices that are to their or any other person’s benefit.

Procedures

{{org_field_name}}’s approach is to ensure that people using its service have as much freedom of choice in their lives as is possible so long as that freedom does not expose them, or any other person receiving care, member of staff or member of the public, to unacceptable risk.

Each person has an individualised plan which is agreed with them, with their representatives or relatives, following a careful and ongoing assessment of their needs.

Each person is fully involved in the care planning process, which takes into account their wishes, abilities and potential for self-care.

Self-care planning

The planning and delivery of care will at all times be designed to:

1. meet the individual’s needs, including their self-care needs
2. be centred on the individual and consider all aspects of their personal circumstances, including their immediate and longer-term care and self-care needs
3. identify any risks and ensure the person’s welfare and safety
4. ensure that risk assessments balance safety and effectiveness with the right to make choices, taking account of capacity to make those choices and the right to take informed risks
5. reflect, where appropriate, published research evidence and guidance issued by appropriate professional and expert bodies as to good practice in relation to care and treatment
6. put in place all reasonable adjustments in service provision to meet an individual’s self-care needs, where necessary by working closely with other health and social care bodies and organisations.

Staff will:

1. implement agreed plans of self care, treatment and support and regularly review them for their effectiveness; seeking changes if ineffective
2. keep plans up to date in recognition of a person’s changing needs
3. always be aware of and respect a person’s rights to make their own decisions and choices about their health and social care options
4. avoid being overprotective or patronising to people using the service
5. help people to be involved in identifying their care, treatment and support options by ensuring that the alternatives, risks and benefits of each are explained
6. ensure that people using the service who may have capacity issues are supported in the making of informed decisions about self-care in line with the Adults with Incapacity Act and are given access to all reasonable support, such as independent advocacy
7. never attempt to bully or use force to coerce people using the service into accessing health or social care options against their wishes
8. remember their duty to protect people and to ensure a safe environment for them to live in
9. quickly recognise when a person becomes seriously ill, physically and/or mentally, and requires additional treatment, care and support, particularly if they have been previously self-caring; in such cases, staff should immediately respond to meet their needs and should prompt a review of the care plan.

If for any reason a member of staff perceives the need to limit or restrict any of these choices and freedoms the reasons should be discussed with {{org_field_name}} manager and a suitable entry written into the service user’s notes.

Implementation

All staff are responsible for the implementation of this policy. Overall responsibility for ensuring the policy is implemented, monitored and reviewed rests with {{org_field_name}} manager.

Information on the policy will be:

1. circulated to all staff
2. provided to all new employees
3. included in all other relevant policies, including those on assessment of needs, administration of medication and care planning.

Training

All staff will receive training to recognise the rights of people who use the service and to understand the issues around self-care, autonomy and freedom.

The training begins with induction, during which the service’s philosophy and policies are clearly stated to all new staff.

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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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