The event was held at the College on Friday 31 January and promoted positive aspects of quality in care to employers, students and staff. Held in conjunction with Staffordshire County Council and Carematch, the College event was a foretaste of the national celebration of Dignity Action Day.
Local employers, along with service users and families, came together with staff, health and social care students, Level 1 drama students and Foundation Studies students attended the event to show their support for dignity in care. Among those attending were Amanda Ashworth from Skills for Care, Shirley Way from Staffordshire County Council/Carematch and Lesley Flatley, the College’s own dignity in care champion.
Jane Tunnicliff, Business Development Manager at the College, said: “Holding the Digni-tea event is a key way for the College, as a centre of excellence, to promote dignity in care which is at the forefront of all our training within the College and the workplace. Dignity Action Day is a platform to promote best practice and raise awareness.”
Amanda Ashworth, Midlands Area Officer at Skills for Care, said: “Skills for Care recognises that one of the prime routes to improvement, lies in the continued development of a quality workforce, that truly understands what dignity means and places it at the very heart of care services.”
Said broadcaster and Dignity in Care Ambassador Dame Joan Bakewell: "Dignity Action Day highlights a more respectful way of behaving towards vulnerable people. The very old and the very young clearly need our respect, but it wouldn't do any harm to spread the dignity message across the population then we can all benefit."
A short performance was acted out by a group of Level 1 Foundation students to showcase what to do and what not to do when caring for others.
The aim of the event was to increase the level of awareness and to encourage all that could, commit to become a dignity champion in order to create a ripple effect across Staffordshire and improve the quality of care.
