New to Dignity Champions
I am the Founder and Managing Director of an Alcohol Peer Support Recovery Service based in Blackpool and i was shocked to attend some LinK meetings recently and hear that they have NEVER heard of Dignity Champions.
I want to take lead of this and wondering how i can do this in Blackpool and if its possible, OR what and where to start getting it out there what Dignity Champions are?
As an ex-service user given 6 months life expectency back in 2005 and coming through it, and launching an alcohol service PLUS have experience of NO dignity, i have set up my own service and glad to register as a dignity champion BUT how are we recognised and actually proven to be a dignity champion if you are the founder and managing director and its new in you town, which was surprising to me also.
I believe 100% in dignity for ALL, as i see many people actually suffering and some leading to death, around alcohol and hommelessness and wish services and people would see REAL PEOPLE and not drunks and down and outs sometimes, because of NO dignity in services and wish to champion this in Blackpool and would like some tips and how can i prove i AM genuine when NOBODY is checking me?
Regards
Brian Morrison
Managing Director
Alcohol Peer Support Services
46 Cookson Street
Blackpool
Lancs
FY1 3ED
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Brian
Good to hear you want to take a lead. Please put down after your name Dignity Champion, then Managing Director. Good luck
Dr. Taleb Durgahee
Dignity Champion
Palm Court Centre of Excellence in Dementia Care
PREFERRED PROVIDER OF DEMENTIA CARE FOR EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
Provides Nurse Education and Overseas Nurse Programme
In Collaboration With Brighton University
17-19 Prideaux Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 2ND
Tel: 01323 721911
Fax: 01323 410244
www.palmcourtnursinghome.co.uk
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I am not quite clear what help it will be to put Dignity Champion after your name except that you may get some replies to your e-mail.
I am not an NHS employee but was a carer to my mother so I became a Dignity Champion, albeit for a different area, namely care of the elderly in hospitals. I was dismayed to find that only a few weeks ago even the Eggheads (BBC 2 Quiz) had never heard of the Dignity Ambassador.
I sent an e-mail to my local Dignity in Care Representative and she contacted me by e-mail and telephone to listen to my concerns and offered some advice on what I could do to help the campaign.
At present I am waiting to hear from Colchester Patients' Advice and Liaison Service as to what I can do towards making nursing staff more aware of elderly patients' needs.
I know it may not be relevant to your concern but why not get in touch with local representative and see what they can suggest.
I know it is not much having Dignity Champion after your name but I tried it and the response has been surprising. People write and ask me what is this, what is it for and how did you get it. So, it seems to be catching people's eyes but I hope my actions catch their eyes too. Good luck
Dr. Taleb Durgahee
Dignity Champion
Palm Court Centre of Excellence in Dementia Care
PREFERRED PROVIDER OF DEMENTIA CARE FOR EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
Provides Nurse Education and Overseas Nurse Programme
In Collaboration With Brighton University
17-19 Prideaux Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 2ND
Tel: 01323 721911
Fax: 01323 410244
www.palmcourtnursinghome.co.uk
This message is intended for the use of the addressee only and may contain confidential or privileged information. If you have received it in error please notify the sender and destroy it. You may not use it or copy it to anyone else.
E-mail is not a secure communication medium. Please be aware of this when replying.
Although DFB Care Ltd has taken steps to ensure that this e-mail and any attachments are virus free, we can take no responsibility if a virus is actually present and you are advised to ensure that the appropriate checks are made.
Hi Brian
It is great to hear your enthusiasm to get things done and I understand your frustration.
As Dignity Champions are entirely voluntary and don't have a statutory role we do not check or vet anyone registering - though we do reserve the right to remove people from our Dignity Champions database if they are acting inappropraitely.
You ask how you can get the role of Dignity Champions more public in Blackpool. My colleague Mel Sheddon on 0207 9724007 has Dignity Champion leaflets, Dignity Challenge Cards and some Dignity Challenge Posters that you could request. Another way might be through contacting your regional lead, Anna Gaughan to find some other Blackpool based Dignity Champions so you can get together and discuss how you might promote the role locally.
We think LINKs have a key role to play in promoting and ensuring dignity locally, as such at a national level we are looking to develop a resource to help LINK members do just that and also at how we can communicate with local LINKs to make them aware of the campaign and the role of Dignity Champions and how they could play into LINKs.
I hope this helps a little.
Karen Dooley
Dignity in Care Policy Team
DH
Hi Brian
i am the lead champion for Mimosa Healthcare, being the first one is hard it means you have to maintain your enthusiasum, and drive, but it sounds to me as if you are doing this. The key to becoming recognised is to spread the word and to encourage others to take on the challenge, when i started i was the first on in the company i have plugged away raising the profile of the campaign and have planned and held workshops for staff, we now have 213 champions accorss group and the work they are doing is phenomenal.
i retain my enthusiasum and as i want to help improve the lives of the elderly people who use our service, and my passion for that remains strong.
we have a recovery service within mimosa and i am sure there are champions within that you could network with, if you wish to do that please e mail me and i will pass you some info
sharon