A public event championing dignity in social care is being held this week at St Helens Town Hall during National Dignity Council Dignity Month.

Individuals from the Dignity Champions Group within the council have organised the marketplace style event for professionals and the public to attend on Tuesday 11 February, from 10am-4pm, which aims to promote dignity and respect for people receiving care or support. 

A Dignity Champion is someone who believes passionately that being treated with dignity is a basic human right, not an optional extra. They believe that care services must be compassionate, person centred, as well as efficient, and are willing to try to do something to achieve this. 

An artist booked for the day will capture people’s thoughts around dignity including those of service users, carers, cared for people, care workers, health workers and the public. There’ll also be live entertainment with a DJ and choir performances at 11:30am from St Helens MIND, the mental health charity, a dance group performance at 2pm, with refreshments available. 

The Dignity in Care campaign was launched in November 2006 and aims to put dignity and respect at the heart of UK care services. 

The campaign has over 136,000 registered Dignity Champions from every walk of life; councillors, providers of health and care services, volunteers, service users, carers and members of the public – all pledging to adhere to the Ten Dignity Do’s. 

Its core values are about having dignity in our hearts minds and actions, changing the culture of care services and placing a greater emphasis on improving the quality of care and the experience of the people using services including NHS hospitals, community services, care homes and home support services. 

Julie Aspinall, an officer within St Helens Council’s Workforce Development who leads the local Diginity Champions Group, said: 

“Care affects us all in some way, whether it’s ourselves or our family and friends that need it. And when we do need it, when we’re at our most vulnerable, the least anyone would expect is to be treated with dignity.

 “Our group has been running for around a year now and includes people from all across the local authority, to share good practice within the care setting and to promote dignity in all that we do. 

“We’re hoping to reach many more people at this event, not only professionals from the care sector and those providing or receiving care currently, but the wider community and residents too.” 

Anyone can become a Dignity Champion and start to make a change in their community, however small. 

Learn more and sign up online at www.dignityincare.org.uk.

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