Values and Ethics for Care Practice introduces readers to values and ethics and their importance in patient-centred care.

Values and ethics are integral to the provision, practice and delivery of patient-centred health and social care. This book, which is an expanded and updated version of Values for Care Practice, introduces readers to these concepts and helps them understand how they can apply them to become compassionate care professionals.

The patient perspective and patient voice are seen and heard throughout the book. Readers are encouraged to reflect on their personal values and on those underpinning health and social care work and to understand how values and ethics are articulated in the latest Codes of Practice. 

The text uses activities and case studies to enable readers to apply theory in their practice.

This book will help readers to understand why good caring is more than merely a practical intervention; it also requires a personal investment and quality of character that involves genuine concern and respect for others.


Table of Contents:

About the authors; Prologue: Anne's story

1. Introduction to values for care practice
     1.1 Introducing values and care
     1.2 What are values?
     1.3 Where do our values and beliefs come from?
     1.4 The relationship between personal and professional values
     1.5 Institutional and organisational values
     1.6 Professional bodies and codes of conduct
     1.7 Conclusion

2. Introduction to ethics for care practice
     2.1 What are morals and ethics?
     2.2 Ethical theories and principles
     2.3 The role of ethics
     2.4 Conclusion

3. Compassion and care
     3.1 Introduction
     3.2 Caring as a virtue
     3.3 Virtuous caring
     3.4 Compassion in care policy
     3.5 Defining compassion
     3.6 The virtue of compassion
     3.7 Compassionate care
     3.8 The experience of compassionate care
     3.9 A culture of compassionate care
     3.10 Conclusion

4. Rights, equality and anti-discriminatory practice
     4.1 Introduction
     4.2 What are rights?
     4.3 Different kinds of rights
     4.4 Limitations on rights
     4.5 Celebrating difference
     4.6 Understanding equality, prejudice and discrimination
     4.7 Why do discrimination and prejudice continue to exist in care?
     4.8 Engaging in anti-discriminatory practice
     4.9 A rights-based approach to care
     4.10 Conclusion

5. Respect and dignity
     5.1 Introduction
     5.2 What do we mean when we use the terms 'respect' and 'respect for persons'?
     5.3 The moral duty of respect for persons
     5.4 The moral value of dignity
     5.5 Respect, dignity and privacy in practice
     5.6 Conclusion

6. Autonomy and the principle of respect for autonomy
     6.1 Introduction
     6.2 Defining autonomy
     6.3 Formal definitions and key components of autonomy
     6.4 Necessary conditions to be autonomous
     6.5 Capacity and competence
     6.6 A duty of respect for autonomy
     6.7 Informed consent
     6.8 An alternative view autonomy - relational autonomy
     6.9 Conclusion

7. Trust, confidentiality and truth-telling
     7.1 Introduction
     7.2 What are trust and trustworthiness?
     7.3 Different types of trust
     7.4 Moral responsibility and trustworthiness
     7.5 Confidentiality and truth-telling
     7.6 The value of honesty and truth-telling
     7.7 Conclusion

8. Protection from harm and promoting independence
     8.1 Introduction
     8.2 What is risk and do we need to be protected from it?
     8.3 Risk assessment
     8.4 Predicting risk
     8.5 Assessing risk in practice
     8.6 Risk management and protection from harm
     8.7 Conclusion

9. Values, accountability and responsibility
     9.1 Introduction
     9.2 Responsibility and accountability in practice
     9.3 Leadership in care
     9.4 Responsibility and the employer
     9.5 Organisational responsibility and accountability
     9.6 Responsibility for the manner in which care is provided
     9.7 Professional accountability and codes of practice
     9.8 Maintaining records
     9.9 Conclusion

10. Conclusion: value-based reflection
     10.1 The role of values
     10.2 Compassion and care
     10.3 Rights, equality and anti-discriminatory practice
     10.4 Respect, dignity and autonomy
     10.5 Trust, confidentiality and truth-telling
     10.6 Protection from harm and promoting independence
     10.7 Values, accountability and responsibility
     10.6 Protection from harm and promoting independence
     10.7 Where to next?
     10.8 Values-led reflection

References; Index