Dignity in care

A renewed emphasis on dignified care in the NHS is underway throughout England.

Care services minister Ivan Lewis will visit every region in England to spread examples of best practice and to give advice to health and social care workers.

He will also seek to encourage people to sign up as 'dignity champions', with plans to double the 1,800 who have signed up so far.

Mr Lewis announced the government will propose that the new NHS constitution should explicitly recognise that a world-class NHS must give a new priority to dignity and respect for patients alongside high quality medical care.

The government will also open discussions with local authorities on the provisions of joint residential care for elderly couples, with a view to making it clear that, other than in exceptional circumstances, couples requiring care should not be separated and the needs of both people are properly taken into account.

"I want NHS and social care services to apply a simple test - if it wouldn't be good enough for my mum and dad why should it be good enough for someone else's?" Mr Lewis said.

"In the same way as investing in the younger generation will determine the success of our country, our treatment of older people will determine its character."

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