National care standards - care homes for people with physical and sensory impairment

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 who feels unable to represent herself or himself when dealing with professionals. An advocate can be helpful if a person feels unable to represent him or herself.

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.

Care home service
A service which provides accommodation, together with nursing, personal care or personal support for vulnerable people.

Carer
A person who 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
Information presented in a layout that is suitable for you. This could be in easy-read language, braille, on tape or on disk.

Key worker
The person (who may be a designated nurse for people receiving nursing care) responsible for co-ordinating the individual's personal plan, for monitoring its progress and for staying in regular contact with the individual and everyone involved.

Named worker
see Key worker

NMC Nursing and Midwifery Council. This organisation was set up by Parliament to ensure nurses, midwives and health visitors provide high standards of care to their patients and clients. To achieve its aims, the NMC maintains a register of qualified nurses, midwives and health visitors, sets standards for education, practice and conduct, provides advice for nurses, midwives and health visitors and considers allegations of misconduct or unfitness to practise. Website: www.nmc-uk.org

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 support and care 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.

Restraint
Control to prevent a person from harming themselves or other people by the use of:

• physical means (actual or threatened laying on of hands on a person to stop them carrying out a particular action);
• mechanical means (for example, wrapping someone in a sleeping bag or strapping them in a chair);
• environmental means (for example, using cot sides to prevent someone from getting out of bed); or
• medication (using sedative or tranquillising drugs for the symptomatic treatment of restless or agitated behaviour).

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.

Smart technology
In most homes, heating, lighting, security and entertainment systems all operate independently. Smart technology brings these systems together through a communication network providing new ways of managing and living in the home. Such inter-linked command and control systems have been extensively used in commercial buildings for years but have only recently started appearing in the home.

Usable floor space
Space which is available to use for furniture, personal belongings and daily living.

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).