Report any concerns they have to the relevant person. This could include: Senior member of staff, Carer, Family member

There may be times when you have particular concerns relating to the privacy and dignity of an individual you are caring for which can lead to conflict and/or dilemmas.

For example, an individual may have disclosed to you that they have felt a lump on their breast but have asked you to keep it confidential and not to tell anyone else. Or a co-worker may have been gossiping about an individual that you care for.

In most cases, you should approach your manager, supervisor or a senior member of staff for guidance on what to do next. You will have to make a judgment call based on the safety and well-being of the individual. Your manager will have the experience to support you with this.

In some situations, it may be more appropriate to pass the information on to an individual’s carer, their family or outside agencies, however, your manager or senior will be able to help you with this, too.

It is important that you speak to the individual to try to obtain consent to pass on information about them. Explaining why it is in their best interests to share information can help them to understand your reasons and it may be possible to negotiate a compromise about how much information should be shared.

There may still be a situation where, despite your best efforts, consent is not given but you must pass on the information anyway for the individual’s own safety and wellbeing (for example, if they have disclosed to you that they have been abused). You should take time to explain to the individual that you have a duty of care to the individual and others to pass this on to the relevant person(s).