Caring about your views

PEOPLE who receive care in North East Lincolnshire are being invited to give their views in a review of the service.

The review will examine whether people receiving care in the home, day care facilities or hospitals are treated with dignity in line with the National Dignity Challenge.

The National Dignity Challenge sets out the standard of high quality services people should expect in care such as zero tolerance of all forms of abuse and that carers should treat each person as an individual by offering a personalised service.

This review is being led by North East Lincolnshire Council and supported by Eng-Age (the older people’s forum supported by Voluntary Action).

They would like to hear from anyone who would like to share their experiences of being in care as part of this review.

The review will look at what is currently happening and to see if recommendations can be made to make the care experience better for everyone.

Councillor Melanie Dickerson, chairman of the scrutiny panel for healthier communities and older people, said: “It is vitally important to maintain people’s dignity and respect when they are in care.

“High quality care services should enable them to maintain the maximum level of independence, assist people to maintain their confidence, listen and support their and respect peoples right to privacy.”

Experiences of care, good or bad, can come from the person receiving care now or previously, from a relative or a friend and views can be given in confidence.

Alison Hobbs, engaging older people’s coordinator for Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire, is keen to ensure that it’s as easy as possible for people to give their opinions.

Alison said: “Views can be given by post, telephone, email or face-to-face.

“If you would prefer to speak to someone face-to-face, then we could invite you to come to tell us your views over a cup of coffee. Alternatively, someone could visit you in your own home at a time that is convenient to you.

“We really would like to encourage as many people as possible to come forward to share their experiences.

The review group has already heard from a number of people, one of whom has told them about her families difficult situation when a member of her family was in care.

Jane Fox said: “In her 94 years, my mother has been a daughter, sister, aunt, lover, wife, daughter-in-law, friend, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

“Up to September 2005, she was fully independent in body, mind and spirit but a minor bowel problem meant an admission to hospital.

“Once, when I visited, my mother was dressed in a nightgown that wasn’t hers and was about three sizes too big so constantly slipping from her shoulders. In the drawer by her bed were the three new night dresses I had bought for her when we knew she was going into hospital.

“On another occasion when we visited, the elderly lady in the bed opposite was telling her visiting relatives about my mother being sat on a commode all day following the administration of suppositories.

“My mother had been in quite a lot of pain and was not afforded the dignity of the privacy she clearly needed.”

By Post:
North East Lincolnshire Council
Scrutiny Officers
Policy, Performance & Development
Municipal Offices
Town Hall Square
GRIMSBY DN31 1HU

No stamp is needed. Quote the freepost information: 'Business Reply Licence Number RLZE-TTGE-SGRY' in the top left hand corner of the envelope.

By E-mail:
To alison@vanel.org.uk or charlotte@vanel.org.uk or scrutiny@nelincs.gov.uk

By Telephone:
01472-326134 (this is an answerphone number)

Potential contributors need to indicate the area of interest, whether this be day care, residential care, hospital care or home care, and indicate the preferred method of providing feedback (post, telephone, email or face-to-face).

For more information, please contact Alison Hobbs by emailing alison@vanel.org.uk or call her on 01472 231123.