Gareth Morgan is Project Manager, National Service Framework for Older People, Wales. Email: Gareth.
Eurohealth SYSTEMS AND POLICIES
POLICY FACTORS
UNDERPINNING THE WELSH DIGNITY IN CARE PROGRAMME )
2007-2012
By: Gareth Morgan
Summary: The Welsh Dignity in Care Programme was launched on 1 October 2007. This paper offers a summary of the programme and evaluates the implementation against six evidence-based policy factors.
Keywords: National Service Framework, Older People, Health and Social Care Services Dignity, Wales
Introduction
Launched in March 2006, the National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People in Wales is a ten-year programme concerned with the provision of evidence
based health and social care services in Wales for individuals over the age of 50.D Dignity in care is one of the key cross cutting themes of the NSF.D Dignity in care is a difficult term to define objectively because it has subjective elements associated with it. What is dignity to one person may be different to another person. In Wales, however, some of the key principles underpinning dignity were set out in the NSF and included person
centred approaches and holistic care based on individual needs.
The Dignity in Care Programme for Wales was launched on 1 October 2007, United Nations Older Person's Day, by the Welsh Deputy Minister for Social Services, Mrs Gwenda Thomas, Assembly Member (AM). Shortly after this launch, a Dignity
in Care National Co-ordinating Group (DCNCG) for Wales was established in 2008.
The way that the DCNCG was constituted drew, at least in part, from the prior experience of the Welsh Aspirin Group.fJ Indeed, the author was Secretary for both of these Groups and the objectives set were very similar. Furthermore, although the issues that these respective groups were addressing were different, skills of relationship building, leading to collaborative working, were crucial elements. The role of Secretary, as a reflective practitionerEl, also was crucial to support the national implementation of the Dignity in Care Programme. At all stages, efforts were made to publish work so as to ensure good communication and peer-review.
Box 1 presents the DCNCG objectives and an internal evaluation of the programme against these has been undertaken.D This internal evaluation shows that
Eurohealth incorporating Euro Observer -Vol.18 I No.3 I 2012