A DIGNITY Code drawn up by the National Pensioners' Convention to ensure due respect is shown when dealing with the elderly is being backed by West Devon Borough Council.

The council has signed up to the code, following a drive by the NPC to get a 'full house' of authorities in Devon, along with six of the remaining 12 of the county's MPs on board yet to sign up to promote zero tolerance of abuse and disrespect to all adults in health and social care services.

Cllr Philip Sanders, leader of West Devon Borough Council, said: 'Every human being is owed the dignity of respect no matter who they are, but we do need to always keep in mind that the elderly, particularly as their faculties wane, still deserve to keep our respect and retain a full say in how they wish to live their lives and not be sidelined or abused.'

David Smith, chair of NPC Devon, wrote to the council saying: 'The National Pensioners Convention is running a campaign to support Dignity Action Day, celebrated on February 1 each year.

'The campaign aims to stimulate a national debate around dignity in care and promote zero tolerance of abuse and disrespect of all adults in health and social care services.

'Six of Devon's 12 MPs and the Mid Devon District Council have already signed up to support the Dignity Code.

'We are certain the remaining six MPs will sign up.

'Devon has a high proportion of pensioners in our population and it would be wonderful to be the first county to have every MP and council on board,' he added.

The nine point code covers respect for individuals and their 'living wills', habits, values, and cultural background and has a 10 point code of misconduct it would like to stamp out.

This they list as treating people as objects or speaking about them as if they were not there, exemplified as in 'Does he take sugar?' Not respecting them or their privacy, or changing their environment without their permission.