What is the care value base?

The care value base is a range of standards for health and social care. It is designed to guide the practice of professionals working in this area.The overall aim of the standards is to improve clients' quality of life, by ensuring that each person gets the care that is most appropriate for them as an individual.The care value base offers guidance, and sets standards, in three main areas of health and social care:Fostering (which means supporting and encouraging) equality and diversity Fostering people's rights and responsibilities Maintaining confidentiality of information

Care value base explained

Care value base explained 1

Fostering equality and diversity

• This is recognising and supporting people's individual needs. It involves:

• Giving everyone the same quality of care and support, but not treating everyone in the same way

• Respecting and supporting the diversity of people's experiences, lifestyles and backgrounds

Care value base explained 2

Fostering rights and responsibilities

This means supporting a client's right to choose their own lifestyle AND helping them to accept their responsibilities.

So your client has the right to eat unhealthy food, but you need to tell them about the health risks so they can take responsibility for their choice.

Care value base explained 3

Confidentiality of information

This means that any information clients give you is private and confidential, whether it is:•Verbal •Written •Electronic (on a computer)

You need to be aware of what you say to other carers and clients and also who has access to client files.

Question

Look at this person and decide which of these he's most likely to be:

Care Assistant

Doctor

Client

Don’t know

In fact, there's no way of knowing what someone does, or who they are, just by looking at them, unless, of course, they're wearing a uniform.

Fostering equality and diversity

As a carer working with clients face to face, you can do a lot to ensure

that a client's background or circumstances do not affect the

quality of care they receive.This doesn't mean treating

everyone the same. It means treating each person as an

individual, taking into account their beliefs, abilities, likes and dislikes. This is known as client-centred

care.By being open to the needs of

others, you yourself will develop a broader understanding of the

world around you.

Things to avoid

StereotypingIf you stereotype someone, you make assumptions about them based on

their age, sex, race, nationality or sexuality. For example:Italians are good lovers Women can't park cars

Men are only interested in one thing

You can’t trust

foreigners

Just what you’d expect from a man

All gypsies are thieves

Prejudice

This means liking or disliking someone not because of who they are, but because of how you feel about their lifestyle or

background.Carers have a responsibility to ensure that prejudice doesn't

affect the quality of care given to clients.

Discrimination

Discrimination is the result of stereotyping and

prejudice.It means providing worse (or better) care to some

people because they are of a particular group, like

Asian people, lesbians and gays, older people and so

on.

Discrimination There are as many different ways to discriminate against someone as there are different types of people. Here are some of the most common:

Race Discrimination

• This means treating someone differently because of the colour of their skin or their racial background.

• For example, care workers may spend time chatting to someone from their own racial background, but ignore clients they see as 'foreigners'

Sex Discrimination

• This means treating someone differently because they are male or female.

• For example, medical staff may explain things in more detail to a man than to a woman

Age Discrimination

• This means being treated less favourably because of your age.

• For example, someone may be refused certain treatments or operations because they are thought to be too old to make it worthwhile.

Disability Discrimination

• Disability discrimination

• This means being treated less favourably because of a disability.

• For example, wheelchair users may have difficulty gaining access to a health centre that does not have electric doors.

Fostering people's rights and responsibilities

Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand.

So while you have the right to your own beliefs and

lifestyle, you need to take responsibility for them and ensure your choices aren't affecting someone else's right to lead the life they

choose. Take smoking. A person has the right to smoke, even though it's generally recognised that smoking can damage health.

But a smoker also has a responsibility to consider

people who don't want to be in a smoky environment.Therefore they have to

obey non-smoking regulations at work, on public transport or in

restaurants and cafes

Examples of Rights and Responsibilities

• Rights and responsibilities are often laid down in legislation, codes of practice and policy documents. As a carer, you need to make sure that your clients are aware of their rights and responsibilities in care settings.

• Clients have a right to:• Not be discriminated against • Confidentiality • Their own beliefs and values

• Clients have a responsibility to:• Not discriminate against others • Respect the confidentiality of others • Do no harm to others

Confidentiality

Maintaining confidentiality of information is an important part of caring. You need to think carefully before you talk about your colleagues and clients, and ask

yourself whether this person really needs to know what you're about to tell them.

It's just common sense really! You wouldn't expect a tutor to discuss your exam results with anyone but you, and you should treat your client's personal

details in the same way.But of course there are times when you need to share confidential information,

for example when a client may be a danger to themselves or others.

Aspects of confidentiality

Clients can expect you not to discuss their details with

anyone else without their consent.

And they won't trust or respect you if you do

Whenever possible, health and social care professionals must respect their client's right to

keep certain information private.For example, a 16-year-old has the right to

expect a professional not to tell her parents that she has asked about birth control.

Data Protection

There are also legal requirements to keep

personal records confidential.The 1998 Data Protection

Act states that data has to be secure, accurate and that it can only be used for limited

purposes.

Maintaining confidentiality

Confidentiality affects everyone in health and social care settings. So how can you ensure you don't pass on confidential information to anyone who isn't entitled to it?

Maintaining confidentiality

Confidential information stored on a computer can include personal details and medical history. But using individual passwords will allow only certain people access t o your files.

Medical notes may be stored in a filing cabinet. So you need to check that all filing cabinets can be locked and that you know who has access to the keys

Maintaining confidentiality

Don't talk about clients' and colleagues' personal details in public places. And think about who else is in the room before you talk about confidential information over the telephone.

Your work diary might contain information on clients' progress, recurring problems and future appointments. Think about who has access to your room and decide how to keep the diary private.

Quiz

Client details may be stored in a _____, which should be kept ____ at all times. A diary, file or care plan may contain ________ information about clients, and access needs to be _____ to those who need it. If you're talking about a client or colleague on the telephone, then make sure you're not ______. And try to avoid talking

about people in public places, because you never know who may be _______ .

Overheard, locked, filing cabinet, restricted, listening, confidential.

Summary

• The care value base was developed to improve clients' quality of life by setting standards and guiding professional practice in health and social care.

• Fostering equality and diversity means recognising that each person has their own individual needs. It also means working to meet those needs.

• Fostering rights and responsibilities recognises people's rights, but also stresses that we all have responsibilities towards others.

• The need to maintain confidentiality of client information protect the client's right to have personal information kept private.