1. East Sussex Personalisation Conference 1th May 2012
Dignity and Diversity
Claire Debenham ESCC
Larry Maurice ESCC
Ken Ashworth and Derek Andrews, Eastbourne Rainbow

2. Today’s workshop
Context for diversity and dignity in social care today
Professional framework
What people tell us matters
Discussion about the challenges and opportunities for you- resources, ways forward.

3. Equality Act 2010 Public Sector duties
Responsibilities of employers and service providers
Individual employee responsibilities in law
Who is protected? Everyone!

4. Protected characteristics (rather than people!)
Age
Disability (includes dementia)
Ethnicity
Gender
Gender identity
Which of these are invisible differences?
Marriage and civil partnership
Pregnancy and maternity
Religion and belief
Sexual orientation

5. Facts about East Sussex-overall population about 509,900
People with dementia
GPs report 7 per 1000 people of all ages (3834)
Expected prevalence is 39 per 1000 (8654)
Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual (LGB) people
Estimated as 5-7% of the population
25, ,693 people of all ages
6,628-9,280 men and women of ‘pensionable age’

6. How are dignity and diversity linked? Allport’s Scale
Antilocution- negative thoughts, jokes, language, often thought harmless
Avoidance: People are actively avoided or left out. No direct harm may be intended, but harm is done through isolation.
Discrimination: acting on prejudices and stereotyping by denying people opportunities and services - putting prejudice into action

7. ESCC Nursing and residential care outcomes framework 2011
To treat people as individuals and promote each person’s dignity, privacy and independence.
To acknowledge and respect people’s gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, race, religion, culture and lifestyle.

8. Individuality and Diversity
Outcome 3: Service Users experience that they are valued as individuals.
Person-centred care means supporting self-esteem and a sense of identity.
Staff show awareness of gender, race, religion, culture, language, sexuality, impairment, age, communication needs and choice as to personal identity.
and work with the residents and each other from a clear diversity perspective.
They identify and remove or lower any barriers to participation in the community, ensuring that they do not create such barriers themselves (social model of disability).

9. Dignity- Social Care Related Quality Of Life (SCRQOL) domains
Control over daily life
Dignity
Occupation
Social participation and involvement
Safety
Personal cleanliness and comfort
Accommodation cleanliness and comfort
Food and nutrition

10. What do they tell us about what really matters?
Personal stories
What do they tell us about what really matters?

11. Staff need clear policies, support and advice
‘It is the organisation that needs to ‘come out’ as gay or lesbian friendly rather than depending upon clients to ‘come out’ in order to get their needs met’
(Age Concern- Opening Doors, 2001)
Older LGB people find it difficult to access appropriate care and support, whether from community based or residential facilities.
Younger disabled people need support, understanding and recognition-they are more likely to ‘come out’ to staff than their families.

12. Good practice in action: a team approach
“We found that after we took a stronger approach as a staff team, when Mrs H made comments about ‘those awful queers’, some of the other residents used to tick her off too.
One of the residents told me in confidence that her brother had been ‘that way’ and it upset her to hear these unkind comments.
Mrs H did stop after a while, because she knew she was not going to get away with it.
One of our colleagues, who was a lesbian herself, really appreciated that we took this on as a whole team. It made her feel more comfortable at work too.” (Age Concern The Whole of Me 2006)

13. Thank you Claire Debenham, Service Development Manager- Equality
Larry Maurice Senior Monitoring Officer, Quality Monitoring Team