What is Person-Centred Care Planning?

Person-centred care planning places individuals at the heart of decisions that affect their care and support. It ensures that care prioritises their needs, values, and preferences.

This approach acknowledges people as experts in their own lives. It encourages collaboration between the individual, healthcare professionals, and sometimes their family or carers. It focuses on treating each person with dignity and respect. This approach also recognizes the interconnectedness of physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and aims to address all aspects of a person’s health. A holistic approach to patient care considers not only the immediate symptoms or illness, but also the individual’s overall quality of life, including their social, environmental, and spiritual factors. By taking this comprehensive approach, healthcare providers can better support the individual in achieving optimal health and wellness.

Care planning is not just about treating a medical condition. It considers a person’s physical health, mental wellbeing, and social needs. The ultimate objective is to support individuals in achieving the best quality of life possible.

Core Principles of Person-Centred Care

Person-centred care involves a set of key principles:

• Respect: People are treated as individuals with their own values, beliefs, and wishes.
• Choice: Individuals are given the information and support to make decisions about their own care.
• Participation: People are involved in discussions, planning, and decision-making regarding their treatment or support.
• Holism: Care planning considers all aspects of a person’s life, not just their health condition.
• Collaboration: Care providers work in partnership with the individual, their family, or carers where appropriate.

These principles are intended to ensure the care provided meets the unique needs of each individual, making them feel valued and empowered.

Why is Person-Centred Care Planning Important?

This approach improves the quality of care. It acknowledges that each person is unique and avoids a “one-size-fits-all” model. Examples of its benefits include:

• Improved understanding: Both healthcare professionals and individuals have a clear understanding of the person’s wishes and needs.
• Enhanced satisfaction: People often feel more satisfied when their preferences are respected and they feel heard.
• Better outcomes: When care is designed around individual needs, it often leads to better overall outcomes, such as improved wellbeing or recovery.
• Empowerment: It gives people more control over their care, which can improve their confidence and independence.

Care planning also considers social and emotional wellbeing. Treating people as whole individuals can lead to stronger relationships between them and their care providers.

What Does a Person-Centred Care Plan Look Like?

A person-centred care plan is a document used to record an individual’s needs, preferences, and goals for their care. It should be personalised, clear, and easy to understand. Key components of the care plan include:

1. Personal information: Basic details, including the person’s name, age, and relevant medical history.
2. Goals and aspirations: What the individual wants to achieve, such as improved mobility or a more active social life.
3. Strengths and abilities: Identifying what the person can do for themselves.
4. Support needs: Outlining where help is required and who will provide it.
5. Preferred methods of communication: This could include preferred languages, or if visual aids are needed for clarity.
6. Cultural or spiritual considerations: Any beliefs or practices that must be taken into account.
7. Monitoring and review process: A schedule to evaluate and update the care plan regularly.

The care plan is more than a written document. It acts as a shared agreement between the individual and their care providers to ensure everyone works towards the same goals.

Who is Involved in Person-Centred Care Planning?

Several individuals could be involved depending on the person’s circumstances:

• The individual: They are always the central participant, with their preferences and values set as priorities.
• Healthcare professionals: This includes doctors, nurses, social workers, or other care staff who provide support.
• Family or carers: If the person agrees, loved ones can contribute insights about their needs and wishes.
• Advocates: Some individuals, like those with communication difficulties, may require the assistance of an advocate—a person who helps them express views and make decisions.

The level of involvement might vary depending on the complexity of the care required. In every case, the process aims to respect and uphold the voice of the individual.

Steps in Developing a Care Plan

Person-centred care planning generally follows several steps:

1. Talking with the individual: The process begins with a conversation to get to know the person, their preferences, and their specific needs.
2. Assessing needs and strengths: This step involves identifying what the person can do independently as well as what additional help they require.
3. Setting goals: Goals should align with the individual’s wishes—these might be short-term or long-term goals depending on the situation.
4. Developing the plan: Using the information gathered, a written care plan is created with input from all relevant parties.
5. Implementing the plan: Care staff put the plan into action, providing support based on the agreed objectives.
6. Reviewing the plan: Care plans must be revisited regularly to ensure they continue to meet the person’s needs and aspirations.

This process is collaborative and ongoing. Life circumstances can change, and so the care plan must adapt to new developments.

Challenges in Person-Centred Care Planning

Though widely beneficial, this approach can present some challenges:

• Time constraints: Properly individualising care plans can require more time than standardised approaches.
• Communication barriers: Language differences, disabilities, or cognitive impairments might make it harder to gain a full understanding of the person’s wishes.
• Balancing opinions: When multiple people are involved, professionals may need to mediate differing viewpoints.
• Resource limitations: Limited funding or staff shortages can sometimes restrict the ability to fully meet individual preferences.

Despite these challenges, the approach remains a widely accepted standard for delivering effective, empathetic care.

Examples of Person-Centred Care in Practice

Person-centred care is used across health and social care. Here are some examples:

• Care for older adults: A care home resident with dementia might need their care plan to include a favourite daily routine to reduce anxiety and maintain familiar patterns.
• Support for mental health patients: A patient recovering from depression may prefer counselling via video call to face-to-face sessions, and the care plan would reflect this need.
• Disabilities support: For a child with autism, a care plan might outline specific calming techniques or communication tools to support their unique needs.

These examples highlight the flexibility of the approach in catering for a wide range of needs.

The Role of Communication

Effective communication is central to person-centred care planning. Care providers must actively listen to the individual and engage in meaningful dialogue. This means asking open questions and allowing enough time for the person to express themselves.

Good communication is not just verbal. It could involve using communication aids, such as picture cards, for individuals with non-verbal needs. Written care plans should avoid technical jargon and be easily understood.

When the individual feels well-informed and included, it builds trust and strengthens the care relationship.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Person-centred care planning aligns with several laws and ethical guidelines in the UK:

• The Care Act 2014: Requires that support is built around the needs and goals of the individual, promoting wellbeing.
• Mental Capacity Act 2005: Protects individuals who may struggle to make decisions, ensuring these decisions are made in their best interests with their input where possible.
• Equality Act 2010: Ensures no one is discriminated against based on age, disability, ethnicity, or other factors.

Care planning respects these obligations, prioritises human rights, and helps deliver fair and equitable care.

Conclusion

Person-centred care planning focuses on the individual as a whole. It aims to provide care that is respectful and tailored to their unique needs and preferences. By involving the individual, care providers, and loved ones, it ensures that care decisions are collaborative.

While challenges exist, the benefits of using this approach are countless. Improved outcomes, greater satisfaction, and a higher quality of life are central goals. Ultimately, this method supports individuals to live as independently and comfortably as possible.