Privacy and Dignity

1.1      Nextsmartstep Supported Living (NSL) understand privacy and dignity is a basic right for everyone, regardless of circumstances or care and support needs. Everyone deserves respect and to live their life with as much independence as possible.

1.2      NSL aim to ensure services are delivered to the highest standard, in line with current legislative and regulatory requirements and sector best practice. Staff are committed to enabling clients to share their privacy and dignity needs and preferences and how staff can deliver this as part of any personal care or support offered.

1.3      This policy applies to all services within NSL, including services delivering care, housing related support, and housing management.

1.4      Privacy and dignity is at the centre of all staff interactions. We aim to understand preferences and needs through ‘safe to disclose’ environments. All NSL staff will:

• communicate with client’s in a way they are able to understand, where a need is present, or liaise with their advocate if applicable;
• facilitate open conversations and active listening during all client interactions;
• explain to the client (or their advocate) the privacy and dignity rights within the service including how a complaint can be raised regarding service received;
• ask clients how they wish to be addressed (Mx/Mrs/Mr/Miss/Ms or by their first or preferred name), before addressing them;
• address and refer to clients in the way they have chosen most recently, including pronouns (not limited to) they/them/she/her/he/him);
• never discuss care or support needs of the client or any of their personal information in the presence of people who do not need this information;
• maintain professional boundaries, considering the additional needs each client may disclose, including, but not limited to, life experiences, culture, and beliefs;
• only provide support in line with their role and the requirements of the service;
• encourage clients to express their wishes, choices, and views, including but not limited to, their way of living, commitments, political viewpoints, etc.;
• support clients in receipt of personal care to express their identity and present in the way they wish to, including their sense of style, modesty, and privacy any other influences identified and shared; and
• promptly report any faults in buildings or equipment (where applicable)

which reduce the privacy or dignity of a client, to the person in charge.

1.5      NSL understands client’s wishes may vary depending on their environment, the company with or near them. Where care is delivered by NSL, staff will explore (with the client), how they wish to be supported in a compassionate and dignified manner, including when they’re out in the community. Staff delivering personal care must consider all circumstances, including, but not limited to:

• What appropriate facilities and resources are available to support each individual with personal care?
• When in a public area, or in the company of others, how does the individual client wish to be supported with eating, feeding or other related tasks?
• How would clients like staff to engage with them in the community, this may include not being on their phone, preserving dignity in unfamiliar environments and/or supporting them to participate within the surrounding environment etc.;
• Would the client like to explore ways they can request support in the presence of others, in a way that is discrete of feels dignified to them?
• Are there any risks identified in the risk assessment or risk management plan that could occur without being foreseen? Examples may include seizures, incontinence, discrimination, medication, or other specific behaviour needs.
• Ensure clients are not left in undignified situations when delivering care.

1.6      All actions agreed between the client and care and support staff must be recorded in the client’s care and support plan, risk assessment and risk management plans (jointly referred to as action plans). Action plans must include the client’s preferences and wishes, how these will be honoured, and

agreements reached alongside any personal events including when the client is asleep, unwell or lacks mental capacity. Where preferences can’t be accommodated, staff will explain why and explore other ways these could be met.

1.7      Care and support plans must be reviewed by care staff with the client, or their advocate as often as is required. Staff are expected to clearly and promptly record each review, and any changes to the client’s action plan.

1.8      Privacy and dignity will be protected for each client considering their individuals needs as well as their basic rights. Staff are expected to

• complete all relevant training as outlined by management;
• endeavour to understand the barriers clients may face and work with them to reduce, where possible;
• consult clients on matters or activities that may impact their life in the service;
• acknowledge client’s homes are their personal space, and gain permission before entering their flat or room, unless there is a serious health concern;
• be mindful clients with occupancy agreements have the right to refuse access to their home, and respect and honour unless a serious concern is identified;
• ensure client’s homes have an appropriate lock fitted and a key provided to them, where a risk is not identified as part of the risk management process;
• where the above requirement cannot be facilitated due an identified risk, measures must be taken to consider other ways to protect their privacy and be accurately recorded in their action plan;

• honour the rights a client would enjoy if living independently in the community (where feasible), this includes their right to have visitors in private, access a phone in private and receiver their mail unopened;
• provide appropriate support to enable clients to be involved in the local community and avoid isolation, where they wish to participate;
• support the client’s right to engage or not engage with others, including providing personal space for them to use (where not already supplied;
• recognise clients may need support to develop or maintain personal or intimate relationships important to them, and support in the least intrusive way where a client receives care through NSL;
• encourage and support clients to do things for themselves, intervening or supporting only when a need is identified, or its deemed appropriate;
• comply with best practice guidelines, particularly when delivering personal care such as dressing, undressing and any care provided in bathrooms;
• enable client’s to access laundry facilities where they are able, and wish to;
• never give clothes belonging to one client, to another, without permission from both parties (where staff support with dressing or undertake laundry tasks);
• respect a client’s personal information, only sharing what is necessary,

with the relevant people, to manage or improve their care or get life-saving aid;

• notify the client before sharing their personal information, unless it is reasonable believed to cause them or others significant harm;
• where required, support a client to complain or take their preferred course of action when unhappy with the service they’ve received; and
• respect the client’s right to enter relationships and make their own decisions, even if believed to be unwise, unless there is reasonable cause for concern.