Unconscious bias, integrity and openness

Overview

Unconscious bias can be described as your brain automatically making a quick judgement, or assessment based on what is seen and how your background and experience influences that decision.  Such bias can have a significant influence on attitude and behaviour towards other people, and can contribute towards inequality.

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral values. You believe in fairness, and you will conduct yourself with integrity at all times.

Openness, honesty or transparency ensures that you are honest in all of your communications, and you try to create trusting relationships and accept feedback with an open mind.

Other values which support the above

Respect exists where employees feel that they are valued by their employer and colleagues and they can be themselves within the workplace without the risk of prejudice, discrimination or in some cases harassment.

Dignity means providing care/advice which supports the self-respect of the person.

Why is this important

As an individual working with service users/patients, often during periods of vulnerability, it is important to be non-judgemental, respectful and act in a way which promotes equality and recognises differences.

It is equally important to be open with patients, service users, colleagues and your managers and show compassion and consideration.  Similarly challenge inappropriate behaviour is about integrity and openness.

For patients and service users it is important that they have a feeling of being treated and regarded as equal, important and valued, particularly when helping a person to find solutions that work for them.

Skills Review

Having completed this sub-topic I will understand the importance of these skills.

• I understand that treating everyone fairly and respectfully does not mean everyone is treated the same.
• I will challenge (or call out) inappropriate or bad behaviour, attitudes and language if it falls below what is expected.
• I  ensure my decision making is clear and considered and free from bias.