Dignity in care: What can I expect from services?
Dignity in Care
Providers must make sure that they provide care and treatment in a way that ensures people's dignity and treats them with respect at all times. This includes:
- Ensuring people have privacy when they need and want it.
- Treating them as equals and providing support they might need to be autonomous, independent and involved in their local community.
What Can I Expect from Services?
The Care Quality Commission has outlined guidance that providers should use to uphold people's right to dignity and respect in care, including:
- Staff must treat you with dignity and respect at all times, including treating you in a caring and compassionate way.
- All communication with you while using services must be respectful. This includes using communication which is the most suitable to you and respecting your right to engage or not engage in communication.
- Staff must respect your personal preferences, lifestyle and care choices.
- When providing intimate or personal care, the provider must make every reasonable effort to make sure that they respect your preferences about who delivers your care and treatment, such as requesting staff of a specified gender/sex.
- You should be addressed in the way that you prefer.
- You must not be neglected or left in undignified situations.
What Can I do If I Feel I Am Not Being Treated with Dignity and Respect?
If you have experienced or seen poor care, you have the right to complain to the organisation that provided that care.
Read our latest advice and information articles on making an NHS complaint:
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