Ethics in Mental Health Recovery Houses

Introduction

The recovery house for the people experiencing mental crisis is referred to the transitional residence which is offered to mentally-ill people to help them overcome the psychological crisis to lead a normal life (skillsforhealth, 2018). In recovery house, the ethical standards of care are to be effectively followed as it promotes social as well as moral values like human rights, social responsibility, safety and welfare of the patients along with others in the recovery house (skillsforhealth, 2018). In this assignment, ethics and values to be considered while caring for people experiencing mental crisis in the recovery house are to be discussed. The value of the Care Act 2014 is to be discussed based on three scenarios provided. Moreover, resolution based on risk or problems identified while discussing the Care Act 2014 is to be explained. For students navigating these complex topics, seeking healthcare dissertation help can provide valuable insights and support.

Task 1: Ethics and Value Legislation

The recovery house for people facing mental health crisis provides alternative stay for the mentally-ill individuals (skillsforhealth, 2018). The ethics and values in the recovery house for the mentally-ill people are to be considered while providing care so that their dignity can be maintained. The ethical legislations referred to the laws which establish duties and obligations to be followed by people to ensure good deeds are established in the society and for individuals. The value legislations refer to the laws which are established for regulation of private transactions and are imposed to avoid criminal activity in the society (Heintz et al. 2015).

The Care Act 2014 informs that vulnerable people are to be supported in such a way so that they develop confidence in taking their own decision and provide informed consent (legislation, 2014). This aspect of the Act is to be followed in recovery homes to show value towards the mentally-ill people as empowering them in the mental crisis to take their own decision makes them develop assurance that they are able to provide proper opinions regarding their care rather than depending on others. The Care Act 2014 mentions that effective support is to be provided to vulnerable individuals so that they remain unharmed and do not face abuse (legislation, 2014). This aspect of the Act is to be followed in recovery homes where people are facing mental health crisis so that they remain unharmed.

The Equality Act 2010 informs that all individuals irrespective of their caste, creed, race, gender and others are to be provided equal care without any form of discrimination (gov, 2010). The Act is to underpin care in recovery houses for people facing mental crisis so that ethics and value in care are maintained as it helps to avoid any form of discrimination leading the service providers to deliver equality quality care to all irrespective of the patient’s physical, mental and social condition. The ethical care is violated with discriminatory care practices as one individual is provided advantage of care over other due to false beliefs and customs that are not legally and socially right (skillsforhealth, 2018).

The section 63 of the Mental Health Act 2007 informs that approved professional is able to provide medical treatment to mentally-ill patients irrespective of their ability to refuse such treatment (legislation, 2007). This aspect of the Act is to be underpinned by recovery houses while providing care so that ethical principle such as non-maleficence is maintained. The non-maleficence means avoiding harm to be patients to ensure their good health (Slade, 2017). Thus, providing proper treatment required by mentally-ill people in the recovery houses irrespective of their refusal would ensure they are offered proper care from the clinical end for improvising their health.

The FREDA principle informs that human rights are to be protected in clinical organisation by delivering care based on values of respect, equality, autonomy and dignity (Cambridge, 1998). The principles are to underpin care in recovery houses so that respectful care is provided to service users by considering their opinions and needs which would also make feel dignified as their perceptions and decisions are valued in the care process. The Human Rights 1988 referred that fundamental rights and freedom are provided to the UK according to which they are able to make decisions for their care (legislation, 1988). The Act is to be used in caring for people in recovery houses so that their basic human rights are not violated. The CQC Code of Ethics for the service providers informs that they are upheld the rights, dignity and well-being of the patients under all condition and require working collaboratively. The Code also mentions that service providers are to be accountable for their actions and require ensuring proper inclusion of service users in care is made for promoting equality and diversity (skillsforhealth, 2018). The Code is to underpin care in recovery houses so that the service providers are aware to provide honoured and dignified services to the service users.

Task 2: Value of care

In the first case scenario, it is mentioned that the female patient refuses care or to be attended by male staffs. The female patients avoid being attended by male staffs as they feel fear of being sexually abused. This is because there are various cases present in the society where male physicians have abused women being the superior gender to fulfil their lust. For example, a male doctor named Navin Zala was found to be sexually abusing his female patients for the past 20 years and it was recently informed by one of the patients that led the authorities to take care of the matter (Telegraph, 2012).

The avoidance of care from male staffs by the female patients may lead the service users to be unable to access effective quality care and treatment for resolving their health disorder which would make them suffer more and face increased hospitalisation (skillsforhealth, 2018). This is because the male physicians who are avoided to be provided by the female patients may be the one who is better competence and training than the female physicians in the organisation for the particular treatment they are receiving for their health condition. Thus, ignoring care from them would make the female patients accept low-quality treatment which would make their face error in care and relapse of health disorder out of poor care (skillsforhealth, 2018). However, forcing the female patients to receive care from male physicians by the organisation because the male physicians are more in number and have better training to provide high-quality care to all would create ethical dilemma. This is because forcing the female patients to accept care from male individuals over their wish violates their autonym and right to make decision regarding their care as approved in the Care Act 2014 (legislation, 2014).

The second scenario informs that a carer is found to be refusing service towards an individual undergoing gender transition. As mentioned by Sabin et al. (2015), stigma regarding people undergoing gender transition is that they are mentally ill. This is because changing gender is not considered to be normal activity as it leads to create change in the entire identity of the person. The people having mental illness are often considered to be mad and vulnerable in society. This is because they are unable to think properly which leads them to execute unnecessary and harmful actions towards others (skillsforhealth, 2018). Thus, it can be ensured that stigma regarding gender transition is done by mentally-ill people and they being harmful may be leading the carer to avoid taking care of the patient. In some cultures, gender transition and supporting the activity is considered as a socially deviant act which may people support the activity to be unaccepted by the society (Giami, 2015). This indicates the carer out of prejudice regarding gender transition being unaccepted in their culture may be avoiding involving in caring for the patient.

The Code of Ethics developed by Care Quality Commission (CQC) informs that healthcare workers are to act in best interest of the patient patients and never should make omissions or actions that lead to neglect, harm or abuse of the individual (skillsforhealth, 2018). However, avoiding caring for the patient undergoing gender transition would lead the carer to violate the Code of Ethics which may make the individual face legal consequences. Moreover, avoiding caring for a patient by the carer leads the individual unable to access proper support required for improving their health condition which in turn makes the service user face deteriorated health situation (skillsforhealth, 2018). Therefore, avoiding caring for the person undergoing gender transition by the carer would create risk for the individual to receive hindered care that may make the person face negative health condition.

The third scenario informs that a manager at the organisation overheard that the staffs are having an inappropriate discussion at the workplace. The staffs at the workplace may be involved in inappropriate discussion due to lack of information about the company’s codes, policies and ethical principles. This is because without knowing the company’s policy regarding what is allowed to be discussed in the workplace the staff members feel free to communicate regarding any topic. In addition, the lack of fear of negative actions which can be imposed on staffs for making inappropriate conversation leads employees to develop irrelevant discussion (skillsforhealth, 2018). Therefore, the organisations require setting proper policies and regulation regarding the discussion allowed at the workplace and need to inform them to the staffs to make them aware of consequences which can be faced by them for their inappropriate behaviour.

The initiation of inappropriate discussion at the workplace may lead to create tension and distrust among staffs (skillsforhealth, 2018). This is because gossiping against any employee leads to sharing of negative information with others which are not at all true. The involvement of employees in inappropriate discussion within the workplace leads organisations to face less productivity (skillsforhealth, 2018). This is because employees rather than involving to put the effort in executing quality work to deliver high-quality services to service users are involved in invalids discussion due to which less time is spent in caring for the service users which in turn creates risk of development of error and unsatisfied care.

Task 3: Resolutions

The professional and legal responsibility of the healthcare workers and physicians is to provide care as per professional standards so that the provided support is offered in the best interest of the patient (skillsforhealth, 2018). The professional boundaries are referred to the gaps present between the power and duty of the healthcare worker and the vulnerability of the patient. The professional boundaries in healthcare can be maintained by working within competence, remaining aware of potential implication of actions, avoiding duplicated services and maintain proper therapeutic relationship (skillsforhealth, 2018). The professional boundary by the carer avoiding to care for the patient undergoing gender transition can be maintained by setting aside the personal values and prejudices as well as acting to provide care as per the policies and legislation mentioned by the organisation and government. The carer is to be provided training and education regarding the way the person can avoid interference of personal values while caring so that any further instances of refusal of care never arises.

The Health and Safety at Work 1974 informs that it is the duty of the employers to maintain safe and risk-free environment so that the service users, as well as staffs, are protected from any harm or abuse (hse, 1974). Thus, the manager of the organisation in which female patients are avoiding to access care from male physicians is to take steps in assuring the females regarding the way the male healthcare workers are going to take care of so that their dignity and respect is properly valued. The manager of the organisation also required to educate the staffs regarding the policies and code of practices within the workplace which they are to follow to avoid any inappropriate discussion to take place in the surroundings. Thus, the above discussion mentions that with use of effective training and education to the carers regarding the policies and code of ethics at work ethical and quality care can be provide to the service users at the recovery homes.

References

Heintz, E., Lintamo, L., Hultcrantz, M., Jacobson, S., Levi, R., Munthe, C., Tranæus, S., Östlund, P. and Sandman, L., 2015. Framework for systematic identification of ethical aspects of healthcare technologies: the SBU approach. International journal of technology assessment in health care, 31(3), pp.124-130.

Slade, M., 2017. Implementing shared decision making in routine mental health care. World psychiatry, 16(2), pp.146-153.