Protecting Service Users Rights

Excellence Care Services will ensure that the rights of Service Users will be respected at all times, and will, through appropriate instruction, education and training, ensure that all employees and agency workers are aware of, and observe, the requirements of this policy. Any employee or agency worker who willfully acts in a manner which is contrary to the spirit and aims of this policy will be subject to formal action which could lead to dismissal for an employee or removal from the Excellence Care Services register for an agency worker.

Procedure

There is no reason to believe that the fundamental rights of Service Users should be any  different  to  any  other  member  of  society.  What is different, in a care environment, with vulnerable people, is the obligation which rests on the agency, and its staff, to ensure that all rights are acknowledged, and respected at all times, whilst at the same time recognising that there may be individual circumstances, often related to the health of the client, which may, albeit for a temporary period, result in certain “rights” being withheld or modified. In such cases the action(s) to be taken, the rea-­‐ sons for the action(s), and the anticipated duration, will be recorded on the client’s Personal Care Plan, and reviewed on a regular basis. Specific attention is drawn to the following list of client’s’ rights, which are to be observed at all times.

Clients and Service Users of Excellence Care Services have the right to:

• Have their needs properly assessed, and to have those needs met on a consistent basis, and to a defined level of quality;
• Receive written information about the care they are receiving, together with its cost;
• Exercise an appropriate degree of control over their lives; to 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;
• Be protected from any abuse or conduct which is detrimental to their wellbeing and health;
• Privacy;
• Confidentiality
• Be treated in a manner which promotes dignity, wellbeing and understanding.

Excellence Care Services will make every effort to ensure that the rights defined above are met on a consistent basis, that staff receive adequate training, in, for example, Protection of Vulnerable Adults, (POVA), and will include representative “Quality Statements” in its Quality Assurance Programme for Service Users.

The Excellence Care Services Service User Guide states the following:

2. PRINCIPLES FOR HOME NURSING & CARE 

Clients have the right to expect: -­‐ Of the Service They Receive:

To be encouraged to be as independent as possible, to be allowed to take risks and to live a lifestyle which is, as far as possible, geared to their personal choice and preference

To be treated as an individual; to make their own decisions on matters which affect them and to participate as fully as possible (with the help of a friend or relative if so desired) in drawing-­‐up a care plan, reviewing it and agreeing any modifications

To have their values, beliefs and chosen lifestyle respected at all times

To have the right to say who may and may not enter their home, within the boundaries of the Company’s Equal Opportunities Policy. To be empowered in the decision about the gender of their nurse. To be listened to if they are unhappy with a particular nurse and have action taken to resolve any issue

Not to be discriminated against for any reason, e.g. age, race, sex, colour, religion, disability, political opinion, sexual orientation, gender reassignment status, physical and financial circumstances

To have privacy in relation to their personal affairs and belongings and confidentiality in respect of the care they require, their personal circumstances, financial, domestic, family matters etc.

To be listened to at all times and to have their thoughts, opinions and attitudes respected and considered

To receive details of the Company’s services before the start of the service

That the Company will regularly review the service according to assessed care needs and within a timescale agreed with the Client

To have access to friends, relatives, religious leaders, etc and to be assisted, where necessary, in making such arrangements

That the Company will recognise and fully understand the needs and rights of relatives or friends caring for someone and help them decide how these can be best met From the Office Staff:

That when telephoning a Company office they will be greeted in a courteous manner and if the telephone is not answered promptly that they will receive an apology

That their telephone enquiries will be answered 24 hours a day

That every effort will be made at all times to ensure that Excellence Care Services agency workers of their choice are assigned to their care and that continuity of care is recognised by Excellence Care Services staff as of paramount importance

That their comments and requests are responded to with respect and taken seriously

That the Branch Manager will appoint a Lead Nurse to be responsible for all assessments and care plans relating to the Client and to liaise with other involved health-­‐ care professionals on behalf of Clients, where required

That nurses will arrive at the assignment at the agreed time but if, due to exceptional circumstances, the nurse is late for any duty, that the Client will be notified

From Excellence Care Services Care Workers:

To have care provided in accordance with the agreed care plan by care workers whose education, experience, training and attitudes make them suitable for such a role and who will provide care in a friendly, appropriate and respectful manner

To receive care from care workers who have been personally interviewed by appropriately trained staff, and who have fulfilled the Company recruitment and selection criteria

To receive care from care workers that match their requirements in terms of skills, experience, personality, cultural and religious needs

That care workers will treat service users‟ property, possessions and the security of the home with due consideration as outlined in the Company policies

That care workers will arrive at the assignment at the agreed time. If, due to exceptional circumstances, the care worker is unable to attend within 15 minutes of the commencement of any duty, that every effort will be made by the Company to notify the service user

That care workers will be dressed appropriately for the work they are to perform and in accordance with the Company’s dress code

That every care worker will wear a photographic identification badge unless this is contrary to the service user’s wishes

That care workers will be covered by appropriate Professional Indemnity Insurance

Privacy in relation to their personal affairs and belongings and to confidentiality in respect of the care which is provided, their personal circumstances, financial, domestic or family matters

From Excellence Care Services Nurses:

To have care provided in accordance with the agreed care plan, by nurses whose education, experience, training and attitudes make them suitable for such a role and who will provide care in a friendly, appropriate and respectful manner

To receive care from individuals who are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery

Council (NMC), adhere to the NMC‟s Codes of Professional Conduct, have been personally interviewed by appropriately trained staff and who have fulfilled the Company recruitment and selection criteria

To receive care from professional nurses, who match their requirements in terms of skills, experience, personality, cultural and religious needs

That nurses will treat Client’s property, possessions and the security of the home with due consideration as outlined in the Company policies

That nurses will be dressed appropriately for the work they are to perform and in accordance with the Company’s dress code

That every nurse will wear a photographic identification badge unless this is contrary to the Client’s wishes

That nurses will be covered by appropriate Professional Indemnity Insurance

That privacy will be maintained, in relation to the Client’s personal affairs and belongings, and confidentiality, in respect of the care which is provided, the Client’s person-­‐ al circumstances, financial, domestic or family

Confidentiality and Privacy in relation to Social Media

Privacy relates to the service users expectation and right to be treated with dignity and respect. Service user/agency worker relation is built on trust, therefore the service user needs to be confident that their most personal information and basic dignity will be protected by the agency worker. Any breach of such a nature, even  inadvertent , damages the service user/agency worker relationship and may tarnish the company’s image.

Any patient information learned by the agency during the course of treatment must be safeguarded by that agency worker. Such information may only be disclosed to other members of the health care team for health care purposes.

Confidential information should be shared only with the patient’s informed consent, when legally required or where failure to disclose the information could result in significant harm.

The use of social media and other electronic communication is increasing exponentially with growing numbers of social media outlets, platforms and applications.

The Internet provides an alternative media for agency workers to share workplace experiences, particularly events that have been challenging or emotionally charged. Without a sense of caution an agency worker may indulge in disclosing too much information and therefore violating a service user privacy and confidentiality.

Instances of inappropriate use of electronic media are considered a serious breach of the company’s policies.