Lockdown, a crisis of any kind, nor inexperience gives anyone the excuse to compromise either respect nor a sense of worth in the care and support owed to those we serve.
When supporting anyone, all health and care workers must be competent in the job they hold from the outset. The fact that they have only been in that work for a few weeks can make no difference, they either are or are not competent to perform the role if they are directly supporting another person.
It is the responsibility of us all, especially during these difficult and strange times, that when we find we do not have sufficient experience or knowledge to deal with an issue, then our: humanity, duty of care and support, honesty and respect for others requires us to speak out to someone who does.
For everyone in the profession of health and social care support it is no defense to say that we are still learning how to do the job. As our job is about caring and supporting - not widgets but human beings, no matter how vulnerable they may be.
If as a human we do not know how to relate, be caring and supporting to another human being, we shouldn’t be in this field of work from the outset. We cannot hide beside the screen of inexperience.
Our culture maintains one standard of respectful, transparent, compassionate care and support across everyone who is employed with us, without any regard to their personal experience and qualifications. We believe that even in these times of extreme pressure it is unacceptable and intolerable to relax or compromise human rights nor our strong person-led principles.
In the pre-coronavirus world, a person being supported by ubu was entitled to expect that staff were compassionate, empathetic, honest, respectful, supportive, caring and had the means to provide proper support. For now, we live in a different world and everyone is aware of the strains on the system for health and social care organisations. Draining of staff, problems with PPE and other resources diverted to deal with the crisis.
These are truly battle conditions and no reasonable person could always expect the usual level of service to be provided in such an unprecedented situation. Nevertheless, we believe the same principles and values in how to care and support a person must remain the same and not be compromised. And that by adopting the approach of openness and honesty, respect, equality, flexibility, creativity, sharing and working together into our everyday care and support this will aid us all across the board to maintain safe, secure human and respectful care and positively support those we are here to serve at all times.
