Annual Report 2020-2021
NATIONAL DIGNITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022
Dignity in our Hearts Minds and Actions
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022
CHAIR’S COMMENTS
Despite the changes that have occurred in the official approach to the pandemic, the National Dignity Council has been extremely conscious of the fact that frontline workers are continuing to be challenged in all sorts of ways. We are constantly amazed and humbled by the ingenuity, inspiration, innovative thinking and sheer resilience of those working in health and social care. To say WELL DONE hardly seems sufficient under the circumstances but those words convey a wealth of admiration and congratulations. The Council too has needed to develop and innovate and respond to the needs of our Champions, and we have spent time this last twelve months looking at how best we might do that with the limited resources that we have available, and we know that this will mean some significant changes for us in the coming twelve months.
In summary our achievements this year have been:-
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Increase in the number of champions to over 116,000
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Continued to maintain the website in an up-to-date and user-friendly state.
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Continued to increase the number of members on the Dignity in Action Facebook page. Now over 3,700 members.
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Continued to maintain positive links with key stakeholders.
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Used the Dignity in Action FaceBook Page and Website Discussion Forum to share practical tips, support each other and raise key topics for a wider debate.
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Held another successful Dignity Action Day – despite the continuing concerns and restrictions people found all sorts of ways of celebrating the day and holding events, from virtual parties to garden entertainment, to tea parties and links with the local community to promote dignity
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Raised funds through Dancing with Dignity events.
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Promoted and disseminated the Dignity Postcards – since we started over 60,000 of these have been sent out to organisations, and we are grateful for the support received from Spectrum Consortium towards the funding of these.
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Meeting administration has been excellent
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Received continued practical support from Registered Nursing Homes Association in terms of providing an office base for the Council.
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Continued to ensure that the costs of supplying wristbands and badges are covered, and increased the range of organisations using these resources.
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Maintained links with Champions and other stakeholders.
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Held 3 successful on-line events with presenters from a variety of services, e.g. CQC, Skills for Care, Providers from Health and Care Services, health and wellbeingmanaging stress in the pandemic; end of life- doing it with dignity; and authorisation, representation, legislation and consent to care with dignity.
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
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Maintained and developed the production of a regular Newsletter, and received very positive feedback for its content.
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Continued to promote our suite of audit documents.
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Maintained strong links with, key stakeholders - Care England, End of Life networks, National Care Association, NICE and SCIE and SfC.
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Represented the Council as speakers on National Events including; a Conference on Human Rights and Equality; Sunderland University – [The Academy of Fab stuff is all about and how it can help you and your teams network and gain new information and expertise . The Academy is described as a social enterprise for healthcare professionals to share great work and ideas]
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Represented the Council as Member on DoHSC Quality Matters Board.
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Represented the Council on CQC Provider meetings
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Been part of judging panels at Staffordshire Dignity Awards, Great British Care Awards
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Presented awards at the Norfolk Virtual Care Awards.
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Supported the development of active champion networks.
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Made better use of our Twitter account and continued to increase our number of followers to 5861
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Raised funds/donations by working with a number of health and social care services to promote dignity, person centred practice and continence services.
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Supported the Formulation of a Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trust, Dignity Workbook Pilot [ This is a bespoke learning package about dignity put together for pre-registrant multi-professional participation. However, the content and the take home message from the module is designed to be suitable for everyone who works within healthcare. It will be inclusive of pre-registration Allied Health Professionals, Medics, Midwives and Nurses ]
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Disseminated our baseline Training Package to a number of organisations and received very positive feedback on its effectiveness and value for money.
So despite the challenges the Trustees and the campaign have identified a number of opportunities for the forthcoming year:
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Dignity Action Day continues to provide a real opportunity for the promotion of Dignity whilst raising the profile of the Council and the Campaign.
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Dancing with Dignity continues to provide the opportunity to celebrate, raise funds and have fun.
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To ensure that the resources on our website are current, wide ranging, and useful to both champions and the public.
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Applying for funding for specific projects to enable the Campaign to grow and be targeted, at areas in most need.
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Working closely with others to develop our contact with citizens and thus meeting our charitable objects.
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Working on developing and sustaining links with Health Colleagues.
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Continue to develop our suite of audit documents.
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
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Promote the Dignity Do’s for both young people and adults.
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Develop local Dignity Champions who are able to speak to staff teams and local groups.
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Develop and promote a training programme on creating a culture in which Dignity is the keystone, for staff and managers.
Finally, I would like to say a few thankyous. To everyone who has supported the Dignity Campaign in the last year, a tremendous thank you, without you we would not be able to achieve all we have. To the Trustees who have given unstintingly of their time and energy a big thank you, and to those organisations who gave us support. A special thankyou too to our Treasurer Jane Finnerty for looking after our finances so well and to our faithful Secretary, Liz, who goes way beyond an administrative role, she is no doubt a major asset to the functioning of our charity. And, of course last but not least to all of our Dignity Champions who continue to make a difference on a day-to-day basis to a range of people in a variety of settings. Thank you to each and every one of you for sharing your kindness , respect and compassion so widely.
Jan Burns MBE
Chair
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
SOME EXTRACTS FROM DANCING FOR DIGNITY EVENTS 2021
The pictures that have appeared in this report are taken from the Memory Book and the entries were chosen at random.
On Thursday 14th October 2021, Spire Nottingham held a Dancing for Digni-TEA event for all staff and patients in our foyer.
We held a tombola raffle which raised £173 for the dignity in care campaign, alongside cakes for everyone, word searches and discussions on raising awareness around dignity.
Overall it was a great success and enjoyed by all whom participated!
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
Acorn lodge raised over £600 this year for the Campaign through their activities on both Dancing for Dignity Day and Dignity Action Day.
SOME EXTRACTS FROM DIGNITY ACTION DAY 2022 MEMORY BOOK
The pictures that have appeared in this report are taken from the Memory Book and the entries were chosen at random.
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
At HS4LC Brackenley Harrogate this year we wanted to get a big message out there about what Dignity means to us. There's something impactful about single words that struck a chord with our staff and residents and a new theme for us in 2022 was SPACE.... the creation of a pause to be able to think and choose independently without the pressure of fitting into others routines. After some great conversations, mindful creativity and thought provoking ideas we then helped ourselves to a valentines buffet ...heart themed to match our Dignity Tree!
Everyone had fun dancing singing,parachute fun with friends, our dignity tree is displayed in our reception Heron court Brentwood Essex
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
ACCOUNTS 2021-2022
National Dignity Council
Treasurer’s Report to the AGM
Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet for the year ended 31st March 2022
I present my report for year ended 31st March 2022. No grant income was received during the period however we did benefit from some crowd funding with AVIVA earlier in the fiscal year. The website and hosting remain our largest costs, but this is an essential communication channel with our champions and wider supporters. No major upgrades were required during the year, so we were able to minimise this overhead as far as possible. Sales of badges and wristbands were down on the previous year due to the pandemic and again or income has been affected as no revenue could be generated from Conference activity as we had successfully been able to do in January 2020. This option to raise funds is being initiated again in 2022 We have a deficit this fiscal year of -£810.53 which is a marked improvement on year ending 2021 and our surplus in 2020 has been used. Cash at the bank is therefore at £8357.44 on 31.03.22 down from £9167.97 at the end of the previous fiscal year. Our sales for 2021 where improved by the hard work of the trustees, the Chair and honorary secretary’s hard work with training and increasing sales of the training pack materials that are proving popular and a valuable source of ongoing income. We continue to fund Dignity Postcards which are a promotion of what the NDC does, and we are grateful to Spectrum in helping fund the associated cots of these. Thanks to everyone who has been involved with our fundraising through donations, sales of badges, training provision and sponsorship. Bank statements are available monthly to all trustees and on request.
Jane Finnerty Treasurer April 2022
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
CHARITABLE AIMS AND OUR KEY WORKPLAN AIMS
Charitable Objects
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The preservation and protection of health for the public benefit by promoting best practice in standards of care, in particular the importance of dignity in care
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For the purpose of this clause ‘dignity in care’ means care, in any setting, including but not limited to hospitals, residential homes and care homes which support and promotes, but does not undermine, a person’s self respect.
Key Workplan Aims
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Increase suite of audit tools
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Develop a training pack for Managers and Supervisors that facilitates the establishment of a Dignity Culture.
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Improve the accessibility of the website and availability of resources for Champions
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• Maintain a regular newsletter
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Improve and build on links with Dignity and other networks. Including the use of the Facebook page and Discussion Forum.
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Maintain and forge robust strategic links with key stakeholders.
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Ensure the sustainability and financial probity of the Council.
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Promote National Dignity Day as a vehicle for raising the profile of the Campaign.
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• Hold a National Conference
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
Dignity During Lockdown
I was asked to write a poem about lockdown My goodness where do I start It’s something like we have never known But we are lucky to have staff with big hearts
They are trying times as we isolate The show must go on, as they say Checking at all times who is at the gate Keeping everyone safe come what may
Goggles, aprons, masks galore Who would ever have thought it But we always wear our armour, that’s for sure We are champions so we don’t doubt it
We talk about Dignity all of the time With or without the pandemic
The virus has brought its own challenges But together we are all so epic
Our residents are happy and everyone is safe Activities have continued at home Staff and residents working together Imaginative, creative, well done
I know this because I have seen the proof I get messages and photos galore All bursting with pride so eager to please We couldn’t ask for anything more
I’ve seen photos of rainbows and wish lists And so much has come from this Residents using this resource to tell us What their wish list is
We’re going to the circus and watching The Great Showman Who says we can’t do that
It’s about having an attitude that says ‘we can!!!’ And figuring out just what …
We need to plan to make it work
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Annual Report 2020-2021
Doesn’t mean we have to go out Plan a movie night, dress as a clown Making it all come about Involving staff and residents in everything Making sure we don’t leave anyone out Having values and attitudes that really count Is what it’s all about
We have a great staff team, you make me so proud Always going the extra mile It doesn’t take much to make someone’s day And you do it all the while
Respect, kindness, compassion too Are all the qualities I see Provided to our residents Absolutely as it should be
We have a duty always To make time the best it can be Of course for all our residents But also for our colleagues
So working together as partners Effective teamwork through and through Residents and staff so creative You amaze me at what you do
Many a memory can be made By sharing a thought or two And knowing you all are such Champions just proves You put Dignity at the heart of all that we do
“Putting Dignity At The Heart Of All That We Do”
Poem written by Trish Jones -Grace Care Sincere thanks to you all for everything that you continue to do
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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Annual Report 2020-2021
TRUSTEES AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR 2021-2022
TRUSTEES
Jan Burns MBE Chair [retires September 2022] Rekha Elaswarapu [retires September 2022] Alan Clarke MBE [retires September 2023] Clare Copleston [retires September 2024] Lesley Flatley [retires September 2024] Roisin Burton [retires September 2023]
COUNCIL MEMBERS Jane Finnerty. Treasurer Liz Taylor Secretary /Administrator
Dignity in our hearts minds and actions.
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