Health and Social Care College

Task 1.1 Identify the different reasons people communicate

Communicating it can be vital to make quality of life better because someone can they can tell me if they are in pain or it can be make emotional contact to express feelings I communicate to express most of my emotions like joy or sorrow, satisfaction or disappointment, courage or fear with appropriate words and gestures. The type of communication is very different and it depend on the circumstances, it can be two different type such as: personal and intimate – this type of communication I can have it with people to whom are very close formal – this type of communication are for a group of people and for a wider audience such in a courtroom informal – I can find this type of communication in a office room like chatting with colleagues As a carer communication it is very important because service users communicate with the carer to express their needs, preferences and to ensure that the service user receive exactly what they need when they need. Communication will help me for developing positive relationships with service user, and their families.

Task 2.1 Explain how effective communication affects all aspects of your work

Communication does affect all aspects of my work. Effective communication is a two-way process – sending the right message, that is also being correctly received and understood by the other person. It is essential that there is good and effective communication taking place within the setting. Daily tasks will only be successful and with no complains with smooth transfers of information. In order for me to develop my role, there must be effective communication between me and the coordinator/manager. This will help keep positive morale and improve the quality of work. Staff that do not feel as if they have good communication with their coordinator/managers may not be as efficient with their work. Effective communication skills are also needed to encourage staff and myself to talk about what we are feeling, to say what we think or to express our needs, concerns, wishes or preferences.

Positive verbal and non-verbal communication skills, such as being friendly, smiling and shaking hands when greeting parents and staff, are required on a daily basis to show that I care and am there to support the service user. Effective communication is important as it ensures that information is: clear, concise, accurate, non-judgmental, and informative. This reduces the possibility of mistakes being made, and ensuring appropriate care service delivery. It is important to work as a team with your colleagues, so that you all work to achieve the same outcomes and targets. If you don’t show effective communication the service user you are communicating to may not understand what it is you are saying/asking. They may also misinterpret what you mean therefore giving you an invalid response and that will put the service user and me in trouble.

Task 1.3 Explain why it is important to observe an individual’s reactions, when communicating with them

Communication with an individual can be a two way process:
verbal witch means a face-to-face communication non verbal witch means individuals can communicate thru body language With both of them I have to know how to recognize what is being communicated to me and be able to communicate without always having to use words. It it very important for me to develop the ability to understand what people are feeling without necessarily talking to me. If I understand the importance of non-verbal communication then I will be able to use it and improve my own skills when communicating with someone. In verbal communication, the person listening may not always indicate verbally if they have understood or if they agree. Observing body language helps the speaker understand if the other person understands. All communication has an effect on the person I am communicating with. Being aware of my own body language and what I am communicating is just as important as understanding the person I am talking to.

Task 3.1 Identify barriers to effective communication

Not all communication is straightforward – on many occasions there are barriers to overcome before any effective interaction can take place. There are many reasons why interpersonal communicatins may fail. In many communication what I want to say (the message) may not be exactly what I wanted to be received by the person whom I speaking to. Barriers can exist for all sorts of reasons, some to do with the physical environment, some to do with the background and circumstances of the person and some to do with the approach. The first barriers to check out those that you could be creating. I may think that I am doing everything possible to assist communication, but I always have to be sure that I am not making it difficult for people to understand what I want to say. Some barriers to communication can be caused by failing to follow some of the steps towards good communication. Skillsyouneed.com

Task 3.4 Identify sources of information and support or services to enable more effective communication

Types if sources of information and support or services are: Translation services This service can help with changing the written text from one language to another. Interpreting services This service can help with converting spoken language to another language. Speech and language services This service can support people who have had a stroke and have problems with their speech. Advocacy services This service can support people who are unable to speak up for themselves. This service tries to understand the needs, wishes and preferences of people, and will argue on their behalf. Someone who has an illness that affects their ability to produce sounds or control their neck and facial muscles may need to speak using a piece of assistive technology. For these sorts of complex issues, I will need the advice of a speech and language therapist who is an expert and will be able to advise me on any kind of specialised communication needs. Where there are language issues, I may need to use the services of an interpreter. I should be able to find all the details of how to contact one from my coordinator/manager.

Task 4.1 Explain the term confidentiality

Confidentiality means not sharing information about individuals without their knowledge and agreement and ensuring that written and electronic information cannot be accessed or read by people who have no reason to see it. Confidentiality is important because:

• people may not trust me that I do not keep information
confidential
• people may not feel valued or able to keep their self-esteem if their private details are shared with me
• people’s safety may be put at risk if details of their property and habits are shared publicly.
A professional service that maintains respect for individuals must keep private information confidential. There are legal requirements to keep personal records confidential. There are also professional requirements laid down by the regulators that make it the duty of professionals to keep information confidential.

Task 4.3 Situations where normally confidential information might need to be passed on

There are several reasons why decisions about disclosing information without consent may need to be made, and I should inform the individual about what has been disclosed at the earliest possible opportunity.

I may have to consider the protection of the community, if there is a matter of public health at stake. I may be aware that someone has an infectious illness, or is a carrier of such an illness and is putting people at risk.

There are other situations where I may need to give information to the police, in case of a crime investigation I am allowed to give information about service users to senior-ranking officer, or at least the rank of superintendent. There may also be times when it is helpful to give information to the media. For example, an elderly confused man, who wanders regularly, may have gone missing for far longer than usual. A description given out on the local radio and in the local paper may help to locate him before he comes to any serious harm.

There are no circumstances in which disclosures of abuse of children must be kept confidential. The situation with an adult, perhaps an older person, who is being abused is different. I can only try to persuade them to allow me to pass on the information.

I may be faced with information which indicates that someone intends to harm themselves. In that situation, I would be justified in breaking a confidence to prevent harm.

Task 4.4 Explain how and when to seek advice about confidentiality

It is best to treat everything I learn about service users and their families in my workplace as confidential information; it is advisable to check with my supervisor before I pass on  confidential information. Similarly, it is always best to tell my supervisor if I receive any information that concerns you. If someone says they want to tell me something ‘in confidence’, I should say that I may not be able to keep the information to myself because part of my job involves safeguarding. It is then up to the person to decide whether to tell me or not.

If I am in a situation where I am unsure about how or if to maintain confidentiality, I must discuss it with your manager. Every organisation will have policies on information sharing and confidentiality and I will be able to access advice to ensure that I am working within policy guidelines. Maintaining trust and relationships with people while taking care of their best interests or risks to others involves decisions I should not make alone. I always need to discuss and think about these carefully, but these situations are rare. The general rule is always that people’s information is not shared with others without a very good reason

Task 1.2

Task 1.2 Explain what is meant by:

DIVERSITY: The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the  rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.

EQUALITY: Equality can mean different things to different people; some people believe that equality means treating everyone the same. However I can not treat everyone as equal due to the fact that everyone has different backgrounds, life experiences, skills and knowledge. So no two people can really ever be the same. Individuality can be a positive attribute in all aspects of life. Equality can be more accurately described as when people are given equal opportunities giving them access to the same rights, choices and resources no matter of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religious belief or cultural differences.

INCLUSION: Inclusion is based upon the idea of allowing everyone equal access to a service regardless of gender, disabilty, religion etc. There are many ways to ensure that my setting adheres to its inclusion policy. Here are a few examples. In a childcare environment I could make access for disabled people possible by providing disabled toilets, ramps and wide doors. I could provide children and families who have English as a second language resources to help with communication such as books and diagrams of words & their meanings. Also I could learn some words in the childs language to communicate & build a bond. For a child/erdely with a hearing impairement I could train staff up on sign language to help with communication. For a child/erdely with learning difficulties I could ensure that I gain support from outside agencies such as speech therapists, health visitors portage workers, etc.

DISCRIMINATION: Discrimination is often seen as a negative attribute when actually it can be a positive. Being able to identify the difference for example when the milk has gone off is seen as positive discrimination. It is only when there is a degrading comment attached against a person, group, or race that it turns into negative discrimination. This often happens when there is seen to be one stronger person, group, or race within a culture that identifies a differences between them. Discriminations can be more than just degrading comments. If it is of a cultural pattern it can stop people being given the same rights, choices, and opportunities. Discrimination can happen simply because of which area you live in, age, religious belief, sexual orientation or just because of which football team you support

1.3 Describe ways in witch discrimination may deliberately or inadvertenly occur in the work setting:

Direct discrimination in the work setting occurs when policies which applied to everyone might on purpose disadvantaged children/erdely from a particular group. For example if the nursery every year celebrate Christmas and making a display and activities about that , but not taking into account that not every child is christen and not celebrating other cultures festivals then children are discriminated one against the other. The other example is when the nursery get children from one particular group, but not trying to be open for everyone and not getting children from different cultures, countries and race. Indirect discrimination in the work setting occurs when the practitioner is not aware that their action might in some way discriminate one children/erdely from another and not letting them learn and develop equally.

For example the practitioner generalise and assume that children from a particular culture will have the same characteristics, needs and will behave in the certain way. I might unintentionally categorise children in a particular way. For instance girls playing with dolls in a cooking area and boys playing with cars and trucks , girls are more quiet than the boys, concentrate and settle down easier. This is called stereotyping and this type of practice might not be deliberate. It happens when the practitioner is not aware of his attitude and see children as a group of the same characteristics but not as an individuals.

3.1 Identify witch legislation and codes of practice relating to equality, diversity and discrimination apply to your own role:

Discrimination is a denial of rights. Discrimination can be beased on issues such as race, gender, disability or sexual orientation. The main Acts of Parliament and Regulations relating to equality and human rights in England, Scotland and Wales were here: Sex Discrimination Act 1976

Equal Pay Act 1970
Race Relations Act 1976
Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005
Specil Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001
Equality Act 2006
Racial and Religious Hatred 2006
Employment Equality Regulations 2003 and 2006

All these Acts and Regulations have been superseded by a single Equality Act that came into force on 01.10.2010. The Equality Act 2010 provides a new Act to protects the rights of people and equality of opportunity. It makes the legislation simpler as there is just one Act, Broadly and Broadly, the Act convers. the basic framework of protection againsts direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimization in services and public function. premises, work, education, associations and transport changing the definition of gender reassignment by removing the requirement for medical supervision leveling up protection for people discriminated against because they are perceived to have, or are associated with someone who has, a protected characteristic, so providing new protection for people like carers clearer protection for breastfeeding mothers

They are many legislation for the diversity and discrimination.

3. Describe how to challenge discrimination in a way that encourages change

Discrimination is the result of unequal or excluding behavior. It described the disadvantage that people are excluded from society. Discrimination on the basis of disability can be found in many places where disabled people have no access or are required to use a different entrance to non-disabled people. Gender discrimination is still evident aldough the situation has been improved in the past few years still womens earnings are below men’s. People are often discriminated against because of their gender, sexuality, age, religion, race, beliefs. By treating everyone the same I will make discrimination because some people will have their own needs so if I want to avoid discrimination it is important to value diversity and treat people different in order to meet their different needs. An advocate is someone who argues a case for another person, they try to understand a person’s perspective and argue on their behalf.

When I need to support people or service users to maintain a right to choice, control and independence, it may be important to involve an advocate if I can’t deal with the situation. In order to avoid all aspects of discrimination I have to be ensure that I do as much as possible to support only the parts of people’s lives that they really can’t manage for themselves, support them and encourage them to take control and make decisions that enable the maximum possible participation in every aspect of their lives. I do not have to use words that degrade people with disabilities, I have to avoid language that is racist or could cause offence, avoid using offensive terms to describe sexual orientation. Avoid discrimination it is very important in health and social care department.

1.4 Explain how promoting equality and inclusion reduces the likelihood of discrimination.

Avoiding stereotypes at work is part of promoting equality and inclusion reduces the likelihood of discrimination. Me as a support worker I have to be responsible to find out the personal beliefs and values of each person I support. Poverty and inequality is another part of discrimination, poverty is not the only one cause of inequality, it can also result from issues around race, gender, or disability. Gender, disability and age can also be causes of inequality. This can be made significantly worse by the effects of poverty – a very large numbers of older people live on very low incomes.

Poverty and deprivation are among the underlying causes of inequality in the UK. This is then reinforced by attitudes such as racism, sexism, and discrimination against people with disabilities. Inclusive practice is about ensuring that there are no barriers that would exclude people or make it difficult for them to participate fully in society because of an illness or a disability. Inclusive practice is about providing the support that people want in order to live their lives as fully as possible. Ensuring that systems and processes for obtaining support are easy to use and access allows people to work out the support they need and find the best way to put it in place Equally and inclusion gives everyone an equal opportunity, no matter the race, gender, and background of the person. It includes everyone equally, therefore reducing discrimination.

3.1 Identify a range of sources of information, advice and support about diversity, equality and inclusion:

All the acts and regulation have been superseded by a single Equality Act that came into force 1 October 2010. The equality act 2010 covers all the present pieces of legislation and include requirements on public bodies to consider how to deal with inequalities in health, education, employment and achievement. The Equality Act 2010 provides a new Act to protect the rights of people and equality of opportunity. It makes the legislation simpler as there is just one Act. Broadly the act covers: the basic framework of protection against direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimization in services and public functions, premises work, education, etc changing the definition of gender reassignment, by removing the requirement for medical supervision leveling up protection for people discriminating against because they are perceived to have, or are associated with someone who has, a protected characteristic clearer protection for breastfeeding mothers

applying the European of indirect discrimination to all protected characteristics extending protection from indirect discrimination to disability introducing a new concept of discrimination arising from disability, to replace protection under previous legislation lost as result
of a legal judgment applying the detriment model to victimization protection

3.2 Describe how and when to access information, advice and support about diversity, equality and inclusion

My workplace will have policies and information about diversity and equality and an inclusion policy aswell as my supervisor who can provide me information if there is something that I’m not sure about. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has a statutory remit to promote and monitor human rights and to protect, enforce, and promote equality acrossthe seven protected grounds:

age
disability
gender
race
religion and beliefs
sexual orientation gender reassignment
gender reassignment

They are able to provide a wide range of resources, advice and guidance about all areas of equality and rights. They produce guidance documents about legislation, particularly the Equality Act 2010. It is more likely to find information at Citizen Advice Bureau, Welfare Rights or Law Centres. It is important to be informed and know where to go so I can pass on advice and encourage people to insist on being treated equally and to be able to access their rights.

TASK 1.3

1.1 Identify the legislation that relates to the recording, storage and sharing of information in health and social care:

All the information doesn’t matter how it is stored is subject to the Data Protection Act 1998 witch covers medical records, social services records, credit information, local authority information and so on. If I have to complete personal data I must comply with the eight enforceable principles of good practice in the Data Protection Act 1998, witch must be:

– Fairly and lawfully processed
– Processed for intended purposes
– Adequate, relevant and not excessive
– Accurate
– Not kept for longer than necessary
– Processed in accordance with the data subject rights
– Kept secure
– Not transferred to countries without adequate protection

The Data Protection Act 1988 also gives people a right to see the information recorded about them. This means that people can see their medical records or social services files. Since January 2005, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 has provided people with a right to access general information held by public authorities, including local authorities and National Health Services. This means that people are entitled to see their social care files, so I have to be careful when I am entering information in people’s notes. The handling and information in the UK is monitored by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

1.2 Explain why it is important to have secure systems for recording and it storing information in a health and social care setting:

It is very important to keep anything that is written down or on a computer because it becomes a permanent record because of this I must be careful what I do with any files, charts, notes or other written records. They must be stored in a secure place and locked. I should never take people’s personal files outside my work premises. The information that I will be handle about people I support will be very personal. It may contain details of medical history, details of family background and financial information. People they need to feel confident that if they give me their personal details will be safe and not be shared with everyone. A very good and secure system is the manual recording systems, not all the systems are electronic from where you can loose more easily all the information if I don’t have my computer with a good firewall against the possibility of hacking. Many large organisations will also keep as a back-up to electronic, paper-based files. Personal assist will have special notes and the information about what I have to write will be decided by my employer because it could include ensuring a clean handover to the next shift, or measurements that must be recorded for medical reasons.

2.1 Describe how to access guidance, information and advice about handling information:

I will face times when I will be unsure about what I have to do with information. I might be uncertain about how to process or record something or someone may have asked me about something and I might be not sure whether or not I should provide it. In the first place I should look for guidance is my supervisor or senior colleagues. They are the ideal people to ask for advice with regard to information in my workplace. If in any case I’m looking for more general information or want advice about legislation, then the Information Commissioner’s Office is the place to contact. I will be able to find detailed information about how to ensure that I am complying with the law in the way I’m handling information.

2.2 Explains what actions to take when there are concerns over the recording, storing or sharing of information.

If I’m concearned that there are issues with how records are store or how information is shared then I have to take action . I have to report all the concearns about something in the organization or someone but it’s not an easy thing to do. My manger will be the first person to go to speak with. The pyramid for people or organization that I have to go to for a serios problem, does look like this: Discuss with my manager

Records my concearns and take to a senior manager
Take it to director or chief executive
Take it to inspectorat

So when I have concearn about something and if my manager didn’t done anything about sorted out I have to go to a senior manager. If in the case that I have to go to a senior manager I must have:

I have to put all the concearns in writing
Be clear about dates, times, and the exact nature of the concearns Identify what steps I have done
If in the last case my concearn persist and no action is taken, the next step is go to the inspectorate for the country I’m working for. This step is very big and important and very rare, I always should try to speak with the organization and deal everything with them.