What is intimate care?

'Care tasks associated with bodily functions, body products and personal hygiene which demand direct or indirect contact with or exposure of the sexual parts of the body”

Cambridge and Carnaby (2000) Making it Personal: Providing Intimate and personal care for people with learning disabilities. Pavilion Publishing. Brighton.

Principles of intimate care for people with palliative and end of life care needs

There are some basic principles to be borne in mind when providing intimate care for people with palliative and end of life care needs:

Individuals:

Should give their consent prior to the provision of intimate care.

Have a right to feel safe and secure.

Have the right to personal privacy.

Receiving intimate care should be respected and valued as individuals. Individuals should be listened to and their views taken into account. They should be treated courteously at all times and know who is looking after them.

Have a right to be treated with dignity and respect and a professional approach from staff when meeting their needs.

Have the right to information and support to enable them to make appropriate choices.

Have the right to be involved and consulted in their own intimate care to the best of their abilities.

Have the right to be accepted for who they are, without regard to age, gender, ability, race, culture or beliefs.

Have the right to express their views on their own intimate care and to have such views taken into account.

Have the right to know how to complain and have their complaint dealt with.

Find out more

Health Information and Quality Authority: Guidance for designated centres: intimate care (October 2014)

Copyright information

Some elements of this section are summarised and adapted from Macmillan Foundations in Palliative Care (FIPC) materials 2020, published by Macmillan Cancer Support, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ, United Kingdom. © Copyright Macmillan Cancer Support 2020, produced by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI). Macmillan Cancer Support accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of the content, which is based on UK practice and guidelines at the date of UK publication; nor for the context in which the content is published; nor for any adaptations made for local use. The content as published in this app/website is solely the responsibility of the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, Inovo Building, 121 George St, Glasgow G1 1RD.