Social Work and Service User

The Data Protection Act (1998) requires that personal details and information must be kept secure and confidential. Confidentiality is necessary in any Health and Care Social setting because it maintains between the individuals and the organisation. An environment of trust encourages people to be open and honest with those who care for them. They provide all the details necessary so that they receive the best care possible. The employers are accountable to the regulators for protecting confidentiality .Preserving privacy and confidentiality is essential so that they do not risk the discipline of being struck off a professional register. Each member of the staff has a responsibility to ensure that the care record are accurate recorded. A clear information will aid patients to participate fully in decision making about their

Maintaining an individual’s confidentiality means you can be trusted by the individual when they give you any personal information. If the individual has given you any information or told you something which you must not to repeat it to anyone who doesn’t need to know. You can only break the confidentiality for the safety and well being of the individual. You must not discuss this information with everyone or some who isn’t in your work setting. You must only share this information with your manager, so they can guide you and the individual. The manager can guide you with the least amount of repercussions. Don’t

Seeking advice about confidentiality is vitally important when you are unsure of the level of information you are allowed to disclose this advice would be sought from senior

When dealing with suspected or actual abuse it is important that we don’t make premature judgments and try to deal with the situation without having all information and evidence required. Just because (for example) a child comes into school regularly with cuts and bruises, this does not mean that they are being abuse. Observations can play a key role into getting actual evidence. By making premature judgments and proceeding to accuse parents/carers of abusing a child can cause a lot of unnecessary upset to both parent and child and make your workplace look inadequate.

All employees have a duty of care to report any concerns of abuse they have. These might include evidence or suspicions of bad practice by colleagues and managers (whistleblowing), or abuse by another service user, staff or their family and friends.

Abuse may be revealed in a number of different ways. For example you may find that someone wants to tell you about it because they trust you. Also it might be from someone who has observed the abuse taking place, e.g. resident seeing a care worker shaking another resident because they were too slow getting dressed. The abuse is disclosed to the professional, sometimes with a request for confidentiality.

Physical abuse of the elderly occurs when a carer harms the individual or places them in danger. A carer may be a family member or someone who is responsible for taking caring of them. The carer may hit, slap, kick, push, burn, or force feed the elderly person and these are all considered to be signs of physical abuse. They may also give the wrong amount or even the wrong medicine to the elderly person. Physical abuse also includes sexual abuse; when someone has sexual contact with an individual without their consent.

There are many types of abuse that occur in nursing homes, even though many do not even realize what all could be classified as abuse. When hearing abuse what is probably most thought of is physical abuse. It was reported that for elderly women with

Abuse is when a carer tries to control or dominate another person. It can be physically, emotionally harmful, arousing fear in an individual, preventing them from doing what they want, or forcing them to do something against their will. Abuse can happen to anyone but it mostly happens to people who are vulnerable like a

* Processed in line with the rights of individuals - this includes the right to be informed of all the information held about them, to prevent processing of their personal information for marketing purposes, and to compensation if they can prove they have been damaged by a data controller's non-compliance with the Act.

Therefore every care practitioner should endeavour to promote theses rights when dealing with services users and their relatives. Furthermore, it is crucial for service users to understand that any information they give will be with strict confidentiality. It is a legal requirement for health and social care services to keep personal data confidential.

‘If I suspect abuse through noticing a sign of physical abuse or change in the behaviour of an individual, I will make sure that I ask the individual what has happened telling the individual the changes that I have noticed. If it is in my place of work and the name of the person that abused the individual is known, whether staff or another service user, I must also record and report this. I will listen to the individual carefully; it is up to them to tell me, I would not ask them any questions about this as this is not part of my job role and would stay calm.I will make sure that I record what the individual tells me using the individual’s own words. I will make sure that I reassure the individual and explain that their safety is the most important and that it is my duty of care to tell the manager. I will make sure that I let my manager know what has happened immediately and pass

Keeping information safe and only passing it on where there is a clear right to it and a clear need to do so, is an important right for all service users because: 1. Service users may not trust a care worker who does not keep information confidential; 2. Service users may not feel valued or able to keep their self-esteem if their private details are shared with others; 3. Service user’s safety may be put at risk if details of their

It could lead to potential threats to the patient when information is carelessly shared. Confidential information can be shared when it is a serious case or needs effective care. Information cannot be erased or unshared once it is

The abuse can be physical, emotional or psychological, sexual, or financially and can be intentional or unintentional neglect from the caregiver (Elder Abuse and Neglect: In Search of Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/elder-abuse.aspx). Physical abuse can range from shoving, severe beatings, and restraining them with ropes or chains (Elder Abuse and Neglect: In Search of Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/elder-abuse.aspx). Physical abuse can also include the inappropriate use of medications and physical restraints and physical punishment of any kind (Elder Abuse and Neglect: In Search of Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/elder-abuse.aspx). Verbal abuse can range from name calling, silent treatment, to intimidating and threatening the person (Elder Abuse and Neglect: In Search of Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/elder-abuse.aspx). If the caregiver, whether family or not, acts in a manner that causes fear, mental anguish, emotional pain or distress, this behavior can be regarded as