Work in a Person-Centred Way

What does person-centred care mean?

• APutting the service user at the centre of decisions about their care, respecting their preferences and values✓
• BThe carer's needs come first
• COnly considering medical needs
• DFollowing procedures exactly without listening to individuals

Answer: Person-centred care places the individual's preferences, values, and needs at the heart of all care decisions and delivery.

A service user wants to do something in their own way, even though it's not the quickest or easiest. How should you respond?

• ALaugh at them
• BRespect their approach unless there's a genuine safety concern, and support them to do it their way✓
• CInsist they do it your way instead, since that is quicker and keeps the shift on time
• DRefuse to help

Answer: Person-centred care respects individuals' choices and preferences. Unless there's a safety issue, you should support them to maintain control and autonomy.

What is informed consent?

• AGoing ahead with care that the person has clearly refused, because you have decided that it needs to be done
• BExplaining what you're going to do, checking understanding, and getting agreement before proceeding✓
• CAssuming that the person agrees to the care simply because they have not objected to it on previous occasions
• DMaking decisions for people

Answer: Informed consent means the individual understands what's being proposed and has genuinely agreed. It's essential for respecting dignity and autonomy.

A service user lacks capacity to make a specific decision. What should you do?

• AFollow the Mental Capacity Act—provide support to enable decision-making, involve relevant people, and make decisions in their best interest if necessary✓
• BIgnore the decision
• CMake the decision for them
• DAsk a family member to make the decision on their behalf and record whatever the relative decides, without involving anybody else or considering the person's own wishes

Answer: The Mental Capacity Act provides a framework for supporting people with impaired decision-making capacity. Key principles include: presumption of capacity, supporting people to make their own decisions, respecting their right to make unwise decisions, acting in their best interests, and using the least restrictive option. Decisions should be made with their best interests in mind.

How can you learn about a service user's preferences and values?

• AAvoid asking them directly, and simply provide whatever care you personally judge to be best for them
• BWork out what they are likely to want from their diagnosis and from what other people with that condition prefer
• CRely only on what family members tell you, since relatives usually know the person better than they know themselves
• DAsk them directly, listen actively, review their care plans, and observe what matters to them✓

Answer: Understanding individual preferences requires asking, listening, and learning about each person as a unique individual.

A service user expresses a preference that conflicts with your care setting's routine. What should you do?

• AIgnore the preference and carry on with the usual routine, since it applies to everybody
• BTell them it's not allowed
• CAgree to the preference straight away without checking whether it is safe or discussing it with anyone
• DCheck if it's safe, discuss with your supervisor, and accommodate it where possible✓

Answer: Respecting preferences is important, but this must be balanced against safety. You should explore ways to accommodate preferences while maintaining safety.

What is dignity in care?

• ASomething that only applies to those service users who are paying privately for their own care and their support
• BBeing very formal at all times and never using a service user's first name, even when they have asked you to do so
• CSomething that is irrelevant to day-to-day care work and only matters when inspectors are visiting the service
• DTreating people with respect, maintaining their privacy, and recognising their worth as unique individuals✓

Answer: Dignity means treating each person with respect, protecting their privacy, and acknowledging their individuality and self-worth.

How should you support a service user's independence in person-centred care?

• ADo everything for them
• BDon't help at all
• CEncourage them to do things they're capable of, support them where needed, and celebrate their achievements✓
• DMake them do things they can't manage

Answer: Supporting independence respects autonomy and promotes dignity. The goal is to help people do what they can for themselves.

A service user makes a choice you disagree with but it doesn't compromise their safety. What should you do?

• ACriticise their choice
• BRespect their choice, provide support, and document your concerns if needed✓
• CTell others not to support their choice
• DOverride the choice they have made and put in place the option you believe is better for them

Answer: Person-centred care means respecting autonomous decisions even when you disagree, provided there's no safety risk.

What is the importance of individualised care plans?

• AThey document individual needs, preferences, and goals, ensuring consistent, personalised care delivery✓
• BThey allow every service user to be given the same standard care plan, which saves a great deal of staff time
• CThey exist only to record problems and incidents, rather than the person's own needs, goals and preferences
• DThey're unnecessary

Answer: Individualised care plans are central to person-centred care. They guide delivery of care tailored to each person's unique needs and preferences.

How does listening contribute to person-centred care?

• AListening is not really part of the job; you should concentrate on completing the tasks you have been allocated
• BIt makes little difference, because the care plan already sets out everything you need to know about the person
• CListening helps you understand needs, preferences, and concerns, enabling truly person-centred responses✓
• DOnly important with those service users who can hold a full conversation with you without any difficulty at all

Answer: Active listening is fundamental to person-centred care. It demonstrates respect and helps you understand what matters to each individual.

A service user is unaware of risks related to their preferred way of doing something. What should you do?

• AInsist that they do it differently, and refuse to help them at all unless they agree to your way of doing it
• BExplain the risks, discuss options, and support their choice if they understand and accept the risks✓
• CSay nothing about the risks and quietly take the task over yourself, so that nothing can possibly go wrong
• DLeave the risks unmentioned, on the basis that knowing about them would only worry the person unnecessarily

Answer: Person-centred care with safety means sharing information about risks while respecting the individual's right to make informed choices.

What role do families play in person-centred care?

• AThey're important sources of information about the individual, though the service user remains the focus✓
• BFamilies should never be involved in any care decisions, because everything that is discussed is confidential
• CFamilies are not relevant to care planning at all, since the care plan is written by the professionals alone
• DThey should make all decisions

Answer: Families can provide valuable insights into the individual's history, preferences, and needs, but the service user should remain central.

How should you balance person-centred care with your care setting's routines?

• AIgnore routines
• BRoutines provide structure; adapt them to accommodate individual preferences where safely possible✓
• CRoutines always come first
• DRoutines should be abandoned altogether, because individual preferences must always take priority over them

Answer: Effective person-centred care finds ways to maintain necessary routines while accommodating individual needs and preferences.

What is autonomy and why is it important in person-centred care?

• AOnly wealthy people have autonomy
• BIt's unimportant in care
• CAutonomy means the right to make choices about your own life—respecting it is essential for dignity and wellbeing✓
• DThe carer should control decisions

Answer: Respecting autonomy recognises people's right to make choices about their own lives, which is fundamental to dignity and person-centred care.