Information for care providers and care workers

Human rights sit at the core of the care services you provide. Many daily decisions that you make such as staffing levels, the use of medication, physical restraint, personal care and end of life decisions all carry human rights implications.

The drivers for embedding a culture of human rights in care provision present themselves on many levels - legal, reputational, operational and ethical.

All care providers are directly and/or indirectly subject to the Human Rights Act 1998, through the local authority contracted services you provide, or through the regulatory framework to which you must adhere.

Human rights should not be viewed in any way as a risk, threat or burden to care provision. Human rights are a means of resolving issues, improving service delivery and improving communication.

It should also be remembered that it is not only people using services that have human rights. You and everyone who provides care and support services (including owners, managers, care workers, ancillary staff) also have human rights which should be respected.