Dignity

The assessment of driving risk can be difficult for clinicians. These Guidelines set out the responsibilities of clinicians to their patients, and provide a framework for thinking about the management of their driving safety.

A seminal King's Fund Report in which David Oliver et. al. describes the steps required to make health and care systems fit for their core patient group - namely older people. 

The term ‘personalisation’ has become increasingly common in the context of a movement that recognises the importance of people’s individuality and their right to exercise choice in their daily lives. 

What is mental capacity?  What do we really mean when we ask if a patient has (or lacks) capacity?  Capacity often depends on context.  The ethical conundrum of mental capacity unravelled. 

People complain that dignity is difficult to define, but we can recognise care where dignity has been ignored or compromised in some way.

The aim of the "Behind Closed Doors" campaign is to raise awareness that people, whatever their age and physical ability, should be able to choose to use the toilet in private in all care settings.

Vulnerable older people deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, humanity and compassion. The BGS promoted standards covering five key areas of caregiving, accompanied by a downloadable poster and flyer.

NICE quality standard on the assessment, care and treatment of urinary incontinence in women.

How Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has concentrated on engaging with its staff to help them focus on the essentials of caring. It has come up with simple effective solutions to help improve the treatment, dignity and care of older people.

Advance care planning (including end of life discussions) is being promoted as part of the NHS end of life care strategy. Such discussions require great care. The BGS with others have prepared guidelines on advance care planning which we summarise here.
 

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are protections for adults who lack mental capacity to consent to, say, admission to hospital or a care home for treatment or care. Caroline Cooke and Premila Fade assess why they are being reviewed and the Law Commission's proposals.

Although much progress has been made in defining best practice, setting standards for delivery and improving the processes of care, there is still variability; there is no consistent delivery or outcomes.

People with dementia are not children. They are adults with a lifetime’s experience. Yet they are not entirely dissimilar. They are vulnerable and they can be as distressed and disoriented as a child.