Care Certificate Standard 5 Answers: Work in a Person-Centred Way

Standard 5 of the Care Certificate examines person-centred approaches to working practice.

It begins by discussing what person-centred approaches and values are and how to apply them to working practice.

It then looks at identifying and reporting concerns about an individual’s environment or treatment, minimising discomfort and promoting identity and self-esteem.

The information on this page has been updated and quality assured for 2023.

Learning Outcomes & Assessment Criteria

• 5.1 Understand person centred values
  • 5.1a Describe how to put person-centred values into practice in their day-to-day work
  • 5.1b Describe why it is important to work in a way that promotes person centred values when providing support to individuals
  • 5.1c Identify ways to promote dignity in their day-to-day work
• 5.2 Understand working in a person centred way
  • 5.2a Describe the importance of finding out the history, preferences, wishes and needs of the individual
  • 5.2b Explain why the changing needs of an individual must be reflected in their care and/or support plan
  • 5.2c Explain the importance of supporting individuals to plan for their future wellbeing and fulfilment, including end-of-life care
• 5.3 Demonstrate awareness of the individuals immediate environment and make changes to address factors that may be causing discomfort or distress
  • 5.3a Take appropriate steps to remove or minimise the environmental factors causing the discomfort or distress. This could include: Lighting, Noise, Temperature, Unpleasant odours
  • 5.3b Report any concerns they have to the relevant person. This could include: Senior member of staff, Carer, Family member
• 5.4 Make others aware of any actions they may be undertaking that are causing discomfort or distress to individuals
  • 5.4a Raise any concerns directly with the individual concerned
  • 5.4b Raise any concern with their supervisor/ manager
  • 5.4c Raise any concerns via other channels or systems e.g. at team meetings
• 5.5 Support individuals to minimise pain or discomfort
  • 5.5a Ensure that where individuals have restricted movement or mobility that they are comfortable.
  • 5.5b Recognise the signs that an individual is in pain or discomfort. This could include: Verbal reporting from the individual, Non-verbal communication, Changes in behaviour
  • 5.5c Take appropriate action where there is pain or discomfort. This could include: Re-positioning, Reporting to a more senior member of staff, Giving prescribed pain relief medication, Ensure equipment or medical devices are working properly or in the correct position e.g. wheelchairs, prosthetics, catheter tubes
  • 5.5d Remove or minimise any environmental factors causing pain or discomfort. These could include: Wet or soiled clothing or bed linen, Poorly positioned lighting, Noise
• 5.6 Support the individual to maintain their identity and self esteem
  • 5.6a Explain how individual identity and self-esteem are linked to emotional and spiritual wellbeing
  • 5.6b Demonstrate that their own attitudes and behaviours promote emotional and spiritual wellbeing
  • 5.6c Support and encourage individuals own sense of identity and self-esteem
  • 5.6d Report any concerns about the individual’s emotional and spiritual wellbeing to the appropriate person. This could include: Senior member of staff, Carer, Family member
• 5.7 Support the individual using person centred values
  • 5.7a Demonstrate that their actions promote person centred values including: individuality , independence, privacy, partnership, choice, dignity, respect, rights

NOTE: Some of these assessment criteria are very similar to assessment criteria in the Level 2 Diploma in Care Unit on person-centred approaches. Therefore (to avoid duplication), some of these links go to this section.

Care Certificate Standard 5 Workbook Answers

Here, you will find exemplary answers for all the questions in the workbook for standard 5 of The Care Certificate – Work in a Person-Centred Way.

The blank workbook for Standard 5 can be downloaded from the Skills for Care website (PDF format)

Accompanying Video

Activity 5.1a

In health and social care, person-centred values are the guiding principles on how to support and assist in someone’s life. Finish the sentence below to describe in your own words what the word ‘values’ means.

The word ‘values’ means the core principles, ideals and standards that are important to an individual or organisation and by which govern their actions and behaviours.

Activity 5.1b

Complete the table below to answer the following questions: 1. What does the value mean? 2. How would you put the value into practice in your day-to-day work? 3. Why is it important to work in a way that promotes this value when supporting an individual?

Activity 5.1c

Providing person-centred care or support that is specific to the individual’s needs, wishes and preferences will ensure that the individual is always at the centre of their care. Dignity is one of the values included in person-centred care. Complete the diagram below to identify ways in which you can promote dignity in your day-to-day work. An example has been provided for you.

1. Supporting someone to join in an activity or discussion
2. Always asking for consent before performing sensitive actions such as personal care
3. Always asking for consent before sharing their personal information
4. Following procedures correctly to ensure that personal care is performed in the most dignified way possible e.g. doing it in a private place, ensuring doors are closed, keeping genitalia covered etc.
5. Addressing individuals by their preferred title e.g. Mr Smith, Dr Jones, Brenda etc.

Activity 5.2a

Case study: You started supporting for Badiah last week. She moved to England from Laos last year. You have noticed that Badiah sometimes only picks at her meals without really eating anything. Badiah is wearing a head scarf and you are unsure whether this is a fashion item. Describe why it is important to find out Badiah’s history, preferences, wishes and needs in order to care for her in a person-centred way:

It is essential to discover Badiah’s history, preferences, wishes and needs to ensure that she receives the correct care for her own unique circumstances and that her beliefs are respected and taken into account in her care planning.

The first thing to do would be to find out her communication needs and the best way to converse with her so that she can express her wishes. She may not be fluent in English or be able to speak any English at all. Interpretation services may be needed as well as English lessons (if she wishes).

The headscarf may indicate religious beliefs or a cultural tradition with specific dietary requirements, which may explain why she doesn’t always eat her meals. Or she may have allergies to certain foodstuffs, so she won’t eat unless she knows what it is. Or it could simply be that she doesn’t like the food provided. The true reasons will only be discovered by speaking to her, her family or somebody else that knows her well.

Until the conversations take place to establish an individual’s needs and preferences, it is impossible to provide care in a person-centred way.

Activity 5.2b

Explain why it is important that an individual’s changing needs are reflected in their care and/or support plan. Give one example of when someone’s care plan would need to be changed or adjusted.

An individual’s care plan will contain information about their needs, wishes and preferences in their care provision.

However, an individual’s requirements will naturally change over time, so it is important that their care plan is reviewed regularly and kept up to date to reflect this.

New care staff will need to understand each individual’s unique requirements, and the care plan is the document that provides this information. If it is not current, the carer cannot give the individual the support they need. In addition, care plans are legal documents that can be used in evidence if a carer or organisation is litigated against.

For example, an individual that has dementia will gradually become less independent and less able to do things for themselves and so will require more support. When it is apparent that the individual is no longer able to do something, their care plan should be adjusted to specify this and explain what additional systems are put in place to ensure that the individual can maintain their independence or the additional tasks carers must carry out to support them. It is important to understand that a care plan is a working document, and it should be updated whenever there is a change in an individual’s care and not just during a scheduled review.

Activity 5.2c

The person-centred approach has the understanding that every person has a need to fulfil their personal potential. Answer the questions below to show your understanding of the importance of supporting individuals to plan for their future wellbeing.

1. Why is it important to support individuals to plan for their future wellbeing and fulfilment?

Individuals should be supported to plan for their future well-being and fulfilment because this helps them to achieve their best possible quality of life, encompasses a person-centred approach and empowers the individual to make their own path through life.

2. What do you have to be aware of if working with individuals at the end of their life?

When working in end-of-life care, it is important to realise that the individuals you support will deteriorate as they approach the end of their lives and become less capable both mentally and physically. This can include aspects such as mobility, communication and cognition.

With this in mind, it is important to have conversations with individuals to find out about their needs, wishes and preferences and how they would like to be cared for if they are no longer able to communicate effectively with their care staff. They may wish to appoint an advocate, such as a family member, to speak on their behalf if they cannot – this is called Advanced Care Planning (ACP).

Activity 5.6a

In order to promote the individual’s wellbeing, they need to be happy with as many aspects of their life as possible. Complete the table below to answer the following questions.

1. What does each aspect tell us about a person?

2. Choose one of the aspects. How may this aspect affect a person’s identity and self-esteem?

Religious aspects of well-being can affect an individual’s identity and self-esteem in several ways.

Their religion may cause them to dress in certain ways (e.g. a burka, hkippah etc.) or wear certain items of jewellery (e.g. a crucifix, star of David etc.), contributing to their unique identity. It can also affect what they eat or drink or the activities that they participate in.

Belief in a religion can provide comfort at difficult times in life, and the religious group and wider network can also assist with this and promote self-esteem.

It is important that an individual is supported to maintain ties with their religious groups and that their beliefs are respected whilst they are receiving care.