National Care Standards: Care at Home

Annex A Glossary

Advocate or Advocacy
A person independent of any aspect of the service or of any of the statutory agencies involved in purchasing or providing the service, who acts on behalf of, and in the interests of, the person using the service. An advocate can help someone to represent themselves.

Assessment
The process of deciding what a person needs in relation to their health, personal and social care, and what services must be put in place to meet these needs. An assessment is undertaken with the person, his or her relatives or representatives, and relevant professionals.

Carer
A person who supports or looks after family, partners or friends in need of help because they are ill, frail or have a disability. The care they provide is unpaid.

Complaints process
Clear procedures that help the person using the service or others to comment or complain about any aspect of the service.

Format
You can expect to have information presented in a layout that is suitable for you. This could be in easy-read language, Braille, on tape or on disk.

Home care worker
Any worker delivering care services at home.

Personal care
Help with day-to-day physical tasks and needs of the person cared for, including helping them to remember to do things such as eating and washing.

Personal plan
A plan of how the care at home service will be provided, primarily agreed between the person using the service (and/or their representative) and the service provider.

Primary care team
GP and other health professionals who provide healthcare in the community.

Representative
A person acting on behalf of a person using the service, who may be a relative or friend.

Risk management
A systematic approach to the management of risk, to reduce loss of life, financial loss, loss of staff availability, safety, or loss of reputation.

UKCC
United Kingdom Central Council for Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors. The UKCC will be replaced by the Nursing and Midwifery Council by April 2002.

Whistle-blowing
The disclosure by an employee (or professional) of confidential information which relates to some danger, fraud or other illegal or unethical conduct connected with the workplace, be it of the employer or of his fellow employees (Lord Barrie QC 1995).