East SussexPersonalisation Conference1th May 2012

Dignity and DiversityClaire Debenham ESCCLarry Maurice ESCCKen Ashworth and Derek Andrews, Eastbourne Rainbow

Today’s workshop

• Context for diversity and dignity in social care today

• Professional framework

• What people tell us matters

• Discussion about the challenges and opportunities for you- resources, ways forward.

Equality Act 2010

• Public Sector duties

• Responsibilities of employers and service providers

• Individual employee responsibilities in law

• Who is protected? Everyone!

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/

Protected characteristics (rather than people!)• Age • Disability (includes

dementia)• Ethnicity• Gender• Gender identity

• Which of these are invisible differences?

• Marriage and civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Religion and belief• Sexual orientation

Facts about East Sussex-overall population about 509,900• People with

dementia• GPs report 7 per

1000 people of all ages (3834)

• Expected prevalence is 39 per 1000 (8654)

http://www.eastsussexjsna.org.uk

• Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual (LGB) people

• Estimated as 5-7% of the population

• 25,495- 35,693 people of all ages

• 6,628-9,280 men and women of ‘pensionable age’

How are dignity and diversity linked? Allport’s Scale• Antilocution- negative

thoughts, jokes, language, often thought harmless

• Avoidance: People are actively avoided or left out. No direct harm may be intended, but harm is done through isolation.

• Discrimination: acting on prejudices and stereotyping by denying people opportunities and services - putting prejudice into action

ESCC Nursing and residential care outcomes framework 2011• To treat people as individuals and

promote each person’s dignity, privacy and independence.

• To acknowledge and respect people’s gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, race, religion, culture and lifestyle.

Individuality and Diversity• Outcome 3: Service Users experience that they are

valued as individuals.• Person-centred care means supporting self-esteem

and a sense of identity.• Staff show awareness of gender, race, religion,

culture, language, sexuality, impairment, age, communication needs and choice as to personal identity.

• and work with the residents and each other from a clear diversity perspective.

• They identify and remove or lower any barriers to participation in the community, ensuring that they do not create such barriers themselves (social model of disability).

Dignity- Social Care Related Quality

Of Life (SCRQOL) domains • Control over daily life• Dignity• Occupation• Social participation and involvement• Safety• Personal cleanliness and comfort• Accommodation cleanliness and comfort• Food and nutrition

Personal stories

• What do they tell us about what really matters?

Staff need clear policies, support and advice • ‘It is the organisation

that needs to ‘come out’ as gay or lesbian friendly rather than depending upon clients to ‘come out’ in order to get their needs met’

(Age Concern- Opening Doors, 2001)

• Older LGB people find it difficult to access appropriate care and support, whether from community based or residential facilities.

• Younger disabled people need support, understanding and recognition-they are more likely to ‘come out’ to staff than their families.

Good practice in action: a team approach• “We found that after we took a stronger approach as a staff

team, when Mrs H made comments about ‘those awful queers’, some of the other residents used to tick her off too.

• One of the residents told me in confidence that her brother had been ‘that way’ and it upset her to hear these unkind comments.

• Mrs H did stop after a while, because she knew she was not going to get away with it.

• One of our colleagues, who was a lesbian herself, really appreciated that we took this on as a whole team. It made her feel more comfortable at work too.” (Age Concern The Whole of Me 2006)

Thank you

• Claire Debenham, Service Development Manager- Equality

Claire.debenham@eastsussex.gov.uk

01273 481386

• Larry Maurice Senior Monitoring Officer, Quality Monitoring Team

Larry.maurice@eastsussex.gov.uk

01323 464207