Dignity in Care

Southern Cross takes the subject of Dignity in our care homes very seriously. We wholeheartedly support the Government’s Dignity in Care campaign and embrace the ethos behind it.

We have taken several measures to ensure our staff understand the importance of this initiative and the benefits it has for everyone in our homes - especially the service users.

Our program is being led by our specialist Dignity Manager, Wendy Averall. Her remit is to work with our managers to rollout the Dignity program and development of Dignity Champions throughout the country. Dignity Champions in our care homes are working to put in place an environment that fully supports the dignity of our service users.

Champions attend monthly meetings where role play, presentations and discussions take place. Experiences and improvements are shared and support is given to ensure all champions succeed at their quest. All champions are taught to recognise situations in which our service users are not treated with the respect they deserve and are encouraged to report and act on any situation they are concerned with.

Meeting and exceeding the 10 requirements of the "Dignity Challenge" has become a focus for our homes. Would the service you provide be good enough for your loved one? That’s the key question.

Communication is often the key. Taking the time to really listen and understand the needs and wishes of the people we look after. Some of the concepts we have introduced have been quite simple but their impact has been significant. From preference charts, to new signage to communication charts - all of these initiatives have changed the lives of people in our care for the better.

Sometimes the smallest things can make a difference - and making a difference is what Dignity in Care is all about.

Dignity in care is also about having a zero tolerance to all forms of abuse. At Southern Cross we absolutely endorse this view to the extent that we have entered into a unique partnership with Action on Elder Abuse to create a confidential helpline for everyone associated with our care homes. All calls will remain confidential and callers can be guaranteed that any concerns will be followed through.