As a health or care provider, youâve probably heard of the 6 Cs of care. Theyâre a set of six key values that all health and social care workers should abide by, and they help make sure clients receive high quality care.
Youâll probably find that you and your team follow them anyway â but itâs good to learn more about them, so you can ensure that youâre applying them each time you interact with service users.
But what are the 6 Cs? In this article, weâll explain what the 6 Cs are, who should follow them, their history, and how to apply them in practice.
Table of Contents
What are the 6 Cs in health and social care?
The 6 Cs are key values that all health and social care workers should embody.
And, as you can probably guess, they all begin with the letter C.
The 6 Cs are:
- Care
- Compassion
- Competence
- Communication
- Courage
- Commitment
As a care provider, you know that your clients put a lot of trust in you. Theyâre in a vulnerable position when receiving care, and they deserve to have the best service possible.
Together, the 6 Cs of care should help clients feel confident and comfortable with the people supporting them. Care workers following the 6 Cs should be able to help their clients live a life thatâs as fulfilled and independent as possible, meeting their goals and feeling a sense of empowerment in their social care experience.
Letâs explain a little more about applying the 6 Cs in practice.
The 6 Cs of care: Care
As a care provider, you understand the importance of providing good care.
Whether youâre a care assistant, supervisor, activity worker, nurse, or have any other role in health and social care, ensuring that service users receive good care should be at the heart of everything you do.
You can make sure that youâre incorporating Care into your work by:
- Following a robust care planning process, and encouraging your clients to be part of this process where possible, so that they receive the care thatâs right for them.
- Talking to your service users about their goals and challenges, so that you can work with them to make their life easier and more fulfilling.
- Ensuring that your clients receive person-centred care, following the information in their personalised care plans.
- Involving your clients in their own care, asking for consent and encouraging them to be independent where possible.
- Reviewing care plans regularly, so that youâre always providing appropriate care.
The 6 Cs of care: Compassion
Everyone whoâs receiving care wants the reassurance that itâs delivered with compassion.
Being a service user can feel very vulnerable â especially for people who are new to receiving care, or people who need support with intimate tasks such as washing or dressing. As a care provider, you can help your clients by acting with kindness, empathy and respect.
You can make sure that youâre incorporating Compassion into your work by:
- Making sure that you respect your clientsâ dignity. This might include giving them privacy when requested, ensuring curtains are closed when providing intimate care, and helping them to change continence supplies promptly.
- Giving clients the space to talk, knowing that you will listen and provide comfort where possible.
- Being patient with service users, and understanding their preferred ways of doing things.
- Making an effort to remember key information about clients and their lives, such as names of family members, hobbies, and preferences.
- Ensuring that care workers have enough time to spend with each client, if youâre in charge of care planning and scheduling.
The 6 Cs of care: Competence
As a care worker, itâs obvious that you need to be able to carry out the tasks associated with your role.
Competence in care is the bare minimum that clients should expect. They should feel confident in the fact that theyâll receive the correct medication, be supported to move safely, and have carers who know what to do in an emergency.
You can make sure that youâre incorporating Competence into your work by:
- Checking care plans before delivering any care, so that you know youâre doing the right things. Do you know what medication your client needs and how it should be administered, for example?
- Attending regular training sessions, so that youâre up to date on all necessary mandatory and statutory training. Depending on your role, this might include first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, moving and handling, and safeguarding training.
- Choosing to learn more about certain topics, or pursuing additional qualifications.
- Speaking up and asking for support if youâre not sure how to carry out a certain task.
- Arranging training for your staff team, if youâre a care manager or supervisor. This might include supporting care workers to access training not offered by your organisation.
- Ensuring that your team know your organisationâs policies and procedures, if youâre a care manager or supervisor. For example, if a care assistant makes a medication error, do they know what they should do next?
- Having a robust induction and training programme for new staff members.
The 6 Cs of care: Communication
Communication in health and social care is vitally important. Youâll need to communicate with your clients during each care visit, but you might also need to communicate with family members, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals.
Clear communication can give your clients and their families peace of mind, helping them understand what youâre doing, and knowing what they can expect.
Communication can also keep service users safe. Listening to complaints can help you pick up on issues that could harm your clients, for example. Clearly recording medication information ensures that your clients receive the right treatment.Â
Some of your service users may have extra challenges with communication. You might not share a language with them, or they may have disabilities that mean they struggle to speak, hear, or understand. However, as a care provider, itâs your responsibility to work with the client, their family, and your colleagues to ensure that youâre able to communicate in a way that works.
You can make sure that youâre incorporating Communication into your work by:
- Learning what communication methods your clients prefer.
- Listening to your clients, and taking their views on board.
- Keeping information confidential, and respecting clientsâ privacy by not sharing personal details unless necessary.
- Clearly describing what youâre doing during a care visit, and asking for consent throughout the process, especially if youâre providing intimate care, such as bathing or changing continence supplies.
- If you schedule carers, arranging for carers who speak the clientâs language to provide the majority of their care, where possible.
- Responding promptly to complaints, so that clients and their families feel confident to speak up.
- Clearly recording what happens during care calls. This can help in a few ways â for example, families can have peace of mind, clients know that youâre accountable for the service they receive, and other carers know what to expect when they support the client.
- Using a robust care management software to store and share client updates, so your team is always aware of any changes in care needs or preferences. This helps you provide consistent support and reduces the risk of miscommunication.
The 6 Cs of care: Courage
As a care provider, youâre in a position of responsibility.
No one likes to think of things going wrong, but we know that sometimes they do. At these times, everyone working in health and social care should have the courage to speak up.
You might see colleagues providing slapdash or poor care, or acting in an abusive manner towards clients. Abuse doesnât always include physical violence â it might involve using unpleasant language, neglecting them, or even stealing from them.
You can make sure that youâre incorporating Courage into your work by
- Speaking up and advocating for your clients if you see examples of poor care or abuse from colleagues. This might include speaking to your manager, contacting a regulatory body, or calling the police.
- Refusing to join in with something you know is wrong, such as providing poor care or badmouthing clients.
- Supporting clients to seek help if theyâre being abused by a family member or friend.
- Speaking up when you see discrimination in your organisation.
The 6 Cs of care: Commitment
Carers need to show commitment â not just to their clients, but also to their role.
This doesnât mean that you can never leave your job, or that you must stay with an organisation when youâre unhappy.
Instead, it means that you should give your all while youâre there.
You can make sure that youâre incorporating Commitment into your work by:
- Making sure that you arrive on time for your shifts and care visits, or following your organisationâs procedures to alert people if youâre unable to make your shift.
- Committing to developing your skills and sharing your knowledge with colleagues.
- Promising to follow the 6 Cs, and ensuring that your clients receive the best possible care.
Who needs to follow the 6 Cs of care?
The 6 Cs apply to everyone who works with clients â depending on your organisation, they might also be called service users, residents or patients.
Whether youâre a care assistant, nurse, another registered healthcare professional, or a member of clinical or non-clinical support staff, the 6 Cs apply to you. If you work with people receiving care, or their families, you should follow the 6 Cs.
The 6 Cs apply whether you support clients in a care home or day centre, provide home care, or work in a hospital or other setting.
Where did the 6 Cs come from?
In 2012, the NHS launched a policy called Compassion in Practice. Aimed at nursing, midwifery and care staff, it set out the 6 Cs and why they were important.
It was written by Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Viv Bennett, Director of Nursing at the Department of Health.
The 6 Cs were necessary because the health and social care landscape has changed significantly in recent years.
More people are living longer, but with additional care support needs. Care providers often have a larger number of clients to support, and theyâre more likely to have complex health needs. Additionally, they have higher expectations for the services they receive â and they deserve to feel happy with the care on offer.
Conclusion: The 6 Cs in health and social care
The 6 Cs are an invaluable reminder of the commitments youâve made to your service users.
Whether youâre a new care assistant or youâve been working as a nurse for many years, these key values are important to follow at all times, so that you can deliver the best care possible for your clients.
