Back row from left: Frank Morgan (DG Voice), Iain Campbell (LGBT Plus). Front: Yen Hongmei (DGMA), Kerry Riddell (LGBT Youth), Claire Brown (TSDG).

Dumfries and Galloway Equalities Partnership is marking Human Rights Day this Tuesday (10th) with an online consultation to find out how the region can become a safer, more equal and inclusive place.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10 – the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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This document proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being — regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

The region’s Equalities Partnership was created in July 2017 by four local organisations: DG Voice, Dumfries and Galloway Multicultural Association, Dumfries and Galloway LGBT Plus and LGBT Youth Scotland.

The Partnership sees these organisations work together towards a shared vision of the region as a place where diversity is respected, celebrated and everyone feels safe and included.

Since the Equalities Partnership was established, members have worked together to complement and support each other’s work, feed into strategic policy and plans for Dumfries and Galloway and identify opportunities to increase promotion of equality and diversity across the region.

They also work closely with the local authority and Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway to ensure that everyone’s rights are represented in the region.

The Partnership rotates coordination responsibilities between the member organisations.

Current coordinator, Frank Morgan of DG Voice, said: “When the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was first adopted 70 years ago, the chair of the committee that drafted it said that ‘universal human rights begin in small places, close to home’. Our Partnership focuses on exactly this – the rights of people close to home in the region.” “We are very keen to find out more about peoples’ experiences and better understand what we can do to ensure a more equal and diverse region for everyone who lives here.”

For further information about the Dumfries and Galloway Equalities Partnership, contact Frank Morgan: [email protected] 01387 257770

Older people in a Dumfries and Galloway Hospital are treated with dignity and respect by friendly and approachable staff.

That was the finding of a report which followed an unannounced inspection at Galloway Community Hospital in Stranraer by Healthcare Improvement Scotland from September 17 to 19.

Welcoming the findings of the report into Care of Older People, General Manager of Acute and Diagnostics Carole Morton said: “This is an extremely positive report which endorses so much of the good work being carried out by our excellent staff at Galloway Community Hospital.

“Although ensuring people are helped to achieve the best health outcomes is fundamental to what we do, it is essential that patients are always treated with dignity and respect.

“The fact that so many older patients and their families were happy to voice that this was the case at Galloway Community Hospital is a real credit to our extremely hardworking, kind and conscientious staff.

“However, we are never complacent. We are always working to ensure high standards are maintained, and to build on them and make improvements wherever we can. We very much welcome the findings which have emerged from the work carried out by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and are incorporating their recommendations within our improved action plan.” A team of three inspectors and a project officer from Healthcare Improvement Scotland arrived unannounced at Galloway Community Hospital on September 17 to undertake three days of work looking at rehabilitation, palliative and end of life care in Dalrymple Ward, acute medical admissions and stroke in Garrick Ward and at work in the Emergency Department.

During the inspection, they spoke with staff and used additional tools to gather more information, including observation of interactions between patients and staff, interviews with patients, and questionnaires for patients and carers.

Inspectors reported that ‘During our inspection, we saw that patients were treated with dignity and respect. All patients appeared comfortable and were dressed appropriately. We saw that patients had call bells, fluids and personal items within reach. When call bells were heard, they were answered promptly.’ They also said, ‘Staff were friendly and approachable. We saw staff addressed patients by their preferred name and interactions between patients and staff were positive. We did not hear any inappropriate or negative language.’ The report highlights areas of good practice, including the observation that pressure ulcer risk assessments are being completed within the nationally required timeframe, with specialist pressure relieving equipment in place. It also highlighted that meals are served early and in a timely manner to the patients that required assistance, and that a good range of snacks and additional menu items are provided.

In its recommendations, the report noted that staff must ensure the patients’ usual weight or any reported weight loss is recorded in order to comply with national standards, and that similarly food record charts are commenced and accurately completed for patients who require them.

A variety of comments were collected from patients, carers and visitors, with strong backing for the view that staff are ‘friendly and approachable’.

The Healthcare Improvement Scotland report comes at the end of a very positive year for Galloway Community Hospital.

Earlier this year the hospital enjoyed a very positive inspection report from Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (Scotland) reports in regards to infection control and cleanliness standards. Dalrymple Ward has meanwhile received two Bronze awards for Care Assurance in the last 12 months, and Garrick Ward was named ‘Mentor of the Year’ from the University of the West of Scotland.