The Total Task For This Assignment Can Be Up To 2000 Words

The total task for this assignment can be upto 2000 words

The total task for this assignment can be up to 2000 words. Write your assignment based on a chosen setting: Day Centre, Long stay rehabilitation ward in an acute hospital, Supported living block, or a setting you are familiar with. You will need to provide an introduction explaining your selected setting and the context for your discussion. Then, answer three tasks: (1) Outline and discuss the core ethics and values that underpin care in your setting, including resource issues impacting care delivery, supported by researched sources. (2) Discuss factors that influence the development of personal ethics and values of individuals involved, including risks for individuals and organizations, based on specific incidents discussed in a team meeting scenario. (3) Propose appropriate ways to resolve the issues discussed, maintaining professional boundaries, with practical strategies. Conclude by summarizing your key points. Use Harvard referencing throughout, ensure your work does not exceed 2000 words, and indicate the word count at the end.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The setting I have chosen for this assignment is a supported living block, which provides residential care and assistance for adults with varying degrees of disabilities and mental health challenges. Supported living facilitates greater independence while maintaining safety and access to necessary support services. This environment underscores the importance of ethical principles such as respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, which shape the quality and integrity of care provision. The discussions herein will explore the core values underpinning such care, analyze the influences on personal ethics, and suggest strategies to resolve ethical dilemmas while maintaining professional boundaries.

Task 1: Core Ethics and Values Underpinning Care in Supported Living

At the heart of supported living care are essential ethical principles derived from legal, regulatory, and organizational frameworks. The Care Act 2014 (Department of Health, 2014) sets the foundation for adult social care, emphasizing wellbeing, prevention, and person-centered approaches. It mandates safeguarding vulnerable adults, advocating for dignity, respect, and choice, aligning with the Human Rights Act 1998, which safeguards individuals' rights and freedoms regardless of their disability or health status (UK Government, 1998). Similarly, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 emphasizes respect for individuals' autonomy, supporting decision-making capacity unless proven otherwise (Jones & Ivanova, 2021).

Codes of practice, such as those from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and professional bodies like the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), reinforce ethical standards. The CQC’s Fundamental Standards emphasize safety, effectiveness, caring, responsiveness, and leadership. Their inspection framework encourages a culture of continuous improvement, reflecting core values of integrity and transparency (CQC, 2020). Organizational policies and codes of conduct further embed ethical principles, providing guidance on safeguarding, confidentiality, and doing no harm. For instance, safeguarding policies ensure protection from abuse, aligning with the principle of non-maleficence.

Resource issues pose significant challenges to ethical care delivery. Funding constraints often limit staffing levels, training opportunities, and resource availability, which can compromise the quality of individualized care. Under-resourcing may inadvertently lead to neglect of client preferences, affecting dignity and autonomy. Staff shortages increase workload stress, potentially impacting adherence to ethical standards, fairness, and safety. Ethical dilemmas frequently arise in balancing resource limitations with the obligation to deliver equitable and high-quality care.

In summary, core ethics in supported living revolve around respecting individual rights, promoting dignity, safeguarding, and ensuring safety and fairness. These are supported by legal statutes, codes of practice, organizational policies, and safeguarding protocols, all of which are essential for sustaining ethical and effective care amidst resource constraints.

Task 2: Influences on Personal Ethics and Values of Individuals

The development of personal ethics and values among care staff and stakeholders is complex, shaped by individual experiences, cultural backgrounds, and professional training. The incidents discussed—overheard debates on euthanasia for older adults and disabled infants, and a refusal to accommodate religious needs—reflect the influence of personal morals, religious beliefs, cultural attitudes, and organizational ethos.

Personal beliefs are often influenced by cultural, religious, and familial components, which can sometimes conflict with professional obligations. For example, staff members’ views on end-of-life care or reproductive health may be rooted in their religious doctrines, influencing attitudes toward controversial issues such as euthanasia or termination of pregnancies. These beliefs may lead to ethical dilemmas when they clash with professional responsibilities advocating for respect, equality, and non-discrimination (Davies et al., 2017).

Such biases could stem from lack of exposure to diversity or insufficient cultural competence training, leading to preconceptions that influence judgment and interactions. A staff member’s refusal to accommodate religious practices, like Friday prayers, may originate from personal prejudices or a lack of understanding. These biases pose risks to service users' rights, potentially resulting in discrimination, reduced quality of care, and damaged trust.

Fear of the unknown and lack of knowledge can also shape personal values negatively. For instance, misconceptions about disabilities or mental health conditions may lead to stigmatization. Additionally, staff members’ perceptions of resource limitations, organizational pressures, or personal workload can influence their ethical stance, sometimes resulting in de-prioritization of dignity and individual preferences.

Legal frameworks like the Equality Act 2010 aim to minimize discrimination and promote equality (UK Government, 2010). However, organizational culture, training, and leadership significantly impact how personal ethics evolve. Promoting reflective practice, cultural competence, and ongoing education enables staff to recognize and mitigate their biases, thereby fostering an environment aligned with ethical standards and human rights.

In conclusion, personal ethics are influenced by a complex interplay of cultural, religious, social, and organizational factors. These influences can pose risks to both individuals and organizations if not consciously managed through training and open dialogue, ensuring that core values such as respect, dignity, and equality remain central to care practice.

Task 3: Resolving Ethical Issues and Maintaining Professional Boundaries

Addressing the incidents arising from the team meeting requires a structured, ethical approach rooted in professionalism. First and foremost, professionals must adhere to their legal and ethical responsibilities, including safeguarding principles, non-discrimination, and promoting dignity. The Care Act’s safeguarding procedures and the Equality Act provide legal frameworks to support equitable treatment and challenge discriminatory behaviors.

Professional boundaries are essential in ensuring respectful, non-judgmental care. Maintaining boundaries involves clear communication, respecting service users’ cultural and religious beliefs, and avoiding personal biases influencing care decisions. Regular training in cultural competence, ethics, and safeguarding policies helps staff to understand and uphold these boundaries effectively.

Strategies to resolve the conflicts include facilitating open, non-judgmental dialogues among staff, promoting awareness and understanding of diverse perspectives, and reinforcing organizational policies on equality and respectful care. Managers should provide supervision and support to staff involved in managing these conflicts, encouraging reflective practice and professional development.

Implementing conflict resolution mechanisms, such as mediation or ethics committees, can assist in resolving complex dilemmas. Emphasizing continuous professional development in areas such as cultural sensitivity, legal responsibilities, and ethical decision-making fosters a proactive approach to conflict management. Ultimately, fostering an organizational culture of respect, inclusivity, and accountability will underpin ethical practice and safeguard both service users and staff.

In conclusion, resolving ethical issues requires a combination of understanding legal responsibilities, upholding professional boundaries, and fostering a culture of respect and continuous learning. Such strategies not only address immediate concerns but also promote long-term ethical resilience within care settings.

References

  • Care Quality Commission (CQC). (2020). Fundamental standards. Retrieved from https://www.cqc.org.uk/what-we-do/how-we-do-our-job/regulation/fundamental-standards
  • Department of Health. (2014). The Care Act 2014. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/contents/enacted
  • Jones, K., & Ivanova, I. (2021). Mental Capacity Act 2005: A Guide for Care Practitioners. Journal of Health & Social Care
  • UK Government. (1998). Human Rights Act 1998. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/contents
  • UK Government. (2010). Equality Act 2010. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents
  • Davies, M., et al. (2017). Cultural Competence in Healthcare: A Review of the Evidence. International Journal of Health Policy and Management.
  • Smith, J. & Kelly, P. (2019). Ethical Practice in Health and Social Care. Routledge.
  • Holmes, J. (2018). Safeguarding Adults at Risk: Ethical and Legal Perspectives. British Journal of Social Work.
  • Germain, G. & Kellett, J. (2019). Building Ethical Practice in Healthcare. Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Hood, C., & Peters, G. (2020). Resource Constraints and Ethical Dilemmas in Care. Journal of Social Policy.

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