Standard Seven Assessment (Part 1)

In relation to care practice, describe what is meant by the terms privacy and dignity.

As a healthcare support worker or adult social care worker, you will be providing care to individuals who have a range of different needs, wishes and preferences and in situations which may be sensitive, personal or challenging. List four situations where an individual’s privacy and dignity could be compromised and then for each one describe how you would maintain their privacy and dignity. Below is an example: 

Situations when an individual’s privacy and dignity could be compromised: When entering the space, bedside, cubicle, room, home that an individual is in.

Describe how you would maintain the individual’s privacy and dignity in this situation: The code of conduct for healthcare support workers and adult social care workers states that I must gain consent before providing care and support to an individual. Therefore, I must always make my presence known and ask if the individual is happy for me to enter the space they are in.

It is essential that you do not disclose anything about an individual that they wish to be kept private, unless it is appropriate to do so. Explain why this is so important. You could include the aspects of a person’s life, listed below in your answer:

• Health Condition
• Sexual Orientation 
• Personal History 
• Social Circumstances

There are a number of ways that you can help individuals to make informed choices. Describe three different ways you could do so in your workplace.