Dignity in Care

We are proud to be a Dignity Champion, as part of the Dignity in Care campaign led by the National Dignity Council.

Core values

In line with the campaign’s core values, we are committed to placing an emphasis on improving the quality of care and the experience of our residents using our services including, home support, care homes and other community services.

As a Dignity Champion we have signed up to the 10 Dignity Do’s:

1. Have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse
2. Support people with the same respect you would want for yourself or a member of your family
3. Treat each person as an individual by offering a personalised service
4. Enable people to maintain the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control
5. Listen and support people to express their needs and wants
6. Respect people's right to privacy
7. Ensure people feel able to complain without fear of retribution
8. Engage with family members and carers as care partners
9. Assist people to maintain confidence and positive self-esteem
10. Act to alleviate people's loneliness and isolation

Dignity Champions

A Dignity Champion is someone who believes passionately that being treated with dignity is a basic human right, not an optional extra.

The Dignity Do's are a personal commitment and the National Dignity Council encourages individuals to become Champions. 

What Dignity Champions do

Each Dignity Champion’s role varies depending on their knowledge and influence and the type of work they are involved in. The role should not be an addition; it is about how you behave as a human being. There are many small things that you can do that can have a big impact on people’s lives. Champions choose how active they want to be, but they must sign up to the Dignity Do's.

How to become a Dignity Champion

Anyone can be a champion: health and social care staff, councillors, volunteers, unpaid carers, receivers of care and members of the public.

Find out more and sign-up to become a Dignity Champion.

Dignity in Care Awards

As part of our role as a Dignity Champion, we are strongly committed to celebrating Dignity in Care, and championing local care workers and personal assistants who go the extra mile to provide outstanding care and support to local residents.

Our Dignity in Care awards aim to promote and recognise the very best in care and support, by:

• Recognising good quality care within the borough
• Raising awareness of Dignity in Care
• Inspiring local care workers and personal assistants to deliver outstanding care and support
• Rewarding and recognising those staff and teams that make a difference and go the extra mile

This year's Dignity in Care Awards take place on Friday 18 July 2025.

If you know a care worker or personal assistant who goes the extra mile, why not nominate them for an award?

Criteria

Ensure your nomination meets our criteria:

• Care provided to an individual must have taken place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames within the past year from January 2024 to the present date
• The nominee(s) does not have to be a resident of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
• The nominator (the person making the nomination) does not have to be a resident of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

An individual can be nominated in one of the following categories:

• Carer of the Year for Learning Disabilities and Mental Health
• Carer of the Year for Community and Day Services
• Carer of the Year for Home Support
• Carer of the Year for Older People’s Care Homes
• Ken Yew Personal Assistant of the Year

Make a nomination

Making a nomination is easy. You should clearly outline what the paid carer or carer worker or personal assistant has done to warrant a nomination and why this should be considered as exceptional. 

You will need to provide:

• Your contact details
• Contact details for your nominee
• A supporting statement of no more than 500 words explaining why you have made this nomination

The deadline for nominations is Monday 21 April 2025. Judges will then pick a shortlist for each category, which will be made public soon afterwards

Start my nomination

What happens next

After the closing date we will contact all those who are nominated to make sure that they are happy to be put forward. We will also let them know who nominated them. The nomination is only confirmed once the nominee has given their permission to be included in the process.

Shortlisted nominees will be invited to a celebration event on Friday 18 July 2025.

Contact

For further information about the Dignity in Care Awards, please email dignityincare@richmond.gov.uk.