How are you promoting people's rights to dignity and respect in care?
If we are ever to end tolerance of care services that do not respect people's dignity not only must we target staff and managers in the NHS and social care, we must also make sure that people are aware of their rights, what they should expect from care and what they can do if they do not recieve dignified care.
Today we were sent a copy of an advertisement NHS Oxfordshire had placed in the Oxford Times. The advert is very eye catching and we think it is a great way of promoting people's rights to dignity, privacy and respect under the new NHS Constitution. You can see the advert at the link below.
Leeds City Council, also recently ran a radio advertisement campaign about people's rights to dignity and how they could complain. You can listen to the radio clips at the link below.
Time and again staff tell us that dignity is a two way street - that staff also need to be treated with dignity and respect. Perhaps your organisation is encouraging patients, service users and carers to respect the staff that care for them - if so we'd like to hear about it.
We would love to hear about and share other examples of how organisations are targetting the public as a partner in driving up standards of dignity in care. Have you made posters, leaflets, postcards, radio ads, Hospital/GP surgery TV clips, used your website etc?
Please send us your examples to dignityincare@dh.gsi.gov.uk