MATSEC SEC Health and Social Care key terms

An approach that treats a person as a whole, considering physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual needs together rather than focusing only on an illness or a single problem.

Practice that puts the individual's own values, preferences, goals and choices at the centre of decisions about their support, rather than fitting the person to the service's routines.

Giving individuals information, skills and confidence so they can make their own decisions and take control over their lives and the support they receive.

Speaking up on behalf of someone, or supporting them to speak for themselves, to ensure their rights, wishes and interests are heard and respected by others.

The duty to keep personal information private and share it only with those who genuinely need it, unless there is a serious risk to the person or others.

Agreement given freely by a person who has been told, in a way they understand, what is involved, the risks and the alternatives, and who has the capacity to decide.

A person's ability, at a particular time and for a particular decision, to understand information, weigh it up, remember it and communicate a choice.

The actions taken to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and to respond properly when harm is suspected or reported.

Any action or failure to act that causes harm to another person; it may be physical, emotional, sexual, financial, institutional, discriminatory or neglectful in nature.

A failure to provide the care, supervision or basic necessities a person needs, which may be deliberate or the result of ignorance, stress or lack of resources.

Reporting wrongdoing or poor practice inside an organisation to someone who can act on it, such as a manager, regulator or external body, in order to protect service users.

The legal and moral obligation of workers to act reasonably, protect those in their charge from foreseeable harm and not to act in a way that causes injury.

A structured process of identifying hazards, judging how likely and how serious harm could be, and deciding what measures will reduce or control that risk.

The laws, policies and everyday practices that keep workplaces and care settings safe, covering hazards, equipment, hygiene, fire, manual handling and accident reporting.

Moving or supporting a person or object by hand or bodily force; safe techniques and equipment reduce the risk of injury to both the worker and the individual.

Measures such as hand hygiene, protective equipment, cleaning and safe waste disposal that prevent the spread of infection between service users, staff and visitors.

Items such as gloves, aprons, masks and eye protection worn by workers to protect themselves and others from contact with blood, body fluids or other hazards.

The routine self-care tasks of everyday life, such as washing, dressing, eating, drinking, toileting and moving about, which are used to judge a person's level of independence.

Working with an individual and others involved to record their needs, goals, agreed support and review dates in a written plan that guides consistent, coordinated care.

A group of professionals from different specialisms, such as nurses, doctors, social workers and therapists, who share information and coordinate support for the same individual.

Passing a service user's details, with their knowledge, to another professional or service that has the expertise to meet an identified need.

Professionals from different disciplines working together respectfully, sharing decisions and responsibilities, so that the support a person receives is joined up rather than fragmented.

The exchange of information, feelings and ideas through speech, writing, body language and other means; in care it must be clear, respectful and adapted to the individual.

Giving full attention to a speaker, using eye contact, nodding and reflecting back what is said, so the person feels heard and misunderstandings are reduced.

The ability to understand another person's feelings and viewpoint and to show that understanding, without taking on their emotions as your own.

The limits that keep the worker–service user relationship safe and appropriate, preventing friendships, favours or personal involvement that could exploit or confuse the person.

Being answerable for your own actions and decisions at work, including admitting mistakes, following agreed procedures and accepting the consequences of your practice.

Treating a person or group less favourably because of a characteristic such as age, sex, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation, whether directly or indirectly.

The principle that every person should have the same rights and opportunities and should not be disadvantaged by who they are or the circumstances they live in.

Making sure every individual can take part fully in services, activities and community life, with barriers removed and adjustments made to meet their needs.

The entitlements a person holds by law or by principle, such as to safety, privacy, dignity, choice and freedom from discrimination, which services must respect.

Treating each person as worthy of respect, protecting their privacy and modesty, and supporting them to make choices about their own body and daily life.

Practices that keep the body and surroundings clean, such as washing, oral care, clean clothing and tidy living areas, which support health, comfort and self-esteem.

The rules governing how personal and health information is collected, stored, used and shared, ensuring records are accurate, secure and accessible only to authorised people.

Activities that help people improve and protect their health, such as education, screening, vaccination and campaigns on diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol.

The organised effort of society to prevent disease, prolong life and improve health across whole populations through surveillance, policy, services and health education.

The conditions of people's lives, such as income, housing, education, employment, family and neighbourhood, that strongly influence their chances of staying healthy.

Action taken to stop illness or harm occurring, or to catch it early and limit its effects, rather than waiting until a problem needs treatment.

Having too little money or material resource to meet basic needs such as food, housing and heating, which is closely linked to poorer health outcomes.