1.2 Define the term personalisation

This guide will help you answer 1.2 Define the term personalisation.

Personalisation is a central principle in health and social care. It refers to tailoring services and support to meet an individual’s specific needs, preferences, and choices. The aim is to ensure that each person has control over their care, allowing them to live as independently and fully as possible.

What is Personalisation?

Personalisation means recognising that every individual is unique. Instead of offering generic services, health and social care providers work to understand each person’s circumstances, goals, and aspirations. With personalisation, individuals can actively shape the care and support they receive, rather than having services imposed on them.

The concept is rooted in promoting autonomy, dignity, and wellbeing. Personalisation supports people to have greater choice and control over how their needs are met, offering flexibility and improving outcomes.

Key Elements of Personalisation

Personalisation covers various aspects of care and support services. Its definition includes these key elements:

• Choice and Control: Individuals have the power to choose the type of care they receive and how it is delivered. This could include deciding who provides the care, what services are used, and when support is delivered.
• Individual Tailoring: Services and support are not “one-size-fits-all.” They are adapted to address specific preferences, needs, and goals.
• Person-Centred Planning: The individual’s voice and input are prioritised during care planning. This approach ensures that care plans reflect the person’s wishes.
• Empowerment: Personalisation enables individuals to make their own decisions about their lives, promoting independence rather than reliance on external services.
• Respect for Diversity: Personalisation acknowledges that people’s cultural, religious, and personal values influence their preferences in care.

Examples of Personalisation in Practice

To better understand personalisation, here are some examples of what it looks like in practice:

• Personal Budgets: Many individuals receive a budget allocated by their local authority to organise their care. This funding allows them to choose services or hire carers independently.
• Direct Payments: Direct payments give people the option to manage their care funds themselves, giving them flexibility to choose providers or support that fits their needs.
• Flexible Services: A support worker visits an elderly person at a time that suits their routine, rather than fitting the visit into pre-determined schedules.
• Cultural Sensitivity: A person selects a care provider who understands and respects their food, language, or religious practices.

The Importance of Personalisation

Personalisation plays a critical role in improving quality of life for individuals needing care and support. It empowers people to take an active role in their lives, maintaining their independence and dignity.

Without personalisation, care services might feel rigid, impersonal, or unresponsive to individual needs. By adopting a personalised approach, organisations create environments where people feel heard and valued.

Personalisation is not only about meeting needs, but also supporting people to achieve their aspirations, build relationships, and engage with their communities. Ultimately, this improves physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.

Benefits of Personalisation

Personalisation brings numerous benefits for individuals and care providers alike, including:

• Improved Satisfaction: People generally feel more positive about services when they align with their wishes and priorities.
• Greater Independence: By giving individuals control over their lives, personalisation reduces reliance on traditional care models.
• Enhanced Wellbeing: Flexible care plans contribute to physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
• Stronger Relationships: Personalisation fosters better communication and trust between individuals and care providers.
• Better Outcomes: Tailored care tends to have higher success rates in achieving a person’s care goals.

How Personalisation Differs from Traditional Models

Traditional care models often focus on delivering standardised services to large groups of people. These approaches may overlook individual preferences or treat everyone the same, regardless of their circumstances.

Personalisation shifts the focus to the individual. Instead of asking, “What’s the matter?” it asks, “What matters to you?” This approach encourages conversations about hopes, goals, and challenges, rather than simply diagnosing or categorising needs.

Legislation Related to Personalisation

Several pieces of legislation reinforce the importance of personalisation in health and social care. These include:

• Care Act 2014: Establishes duties for local authorities to provide personalised care through tools like personal budgets.
• Mental Capacity Act 2005: Ensures people are supported to make decisions about their care, even if they lack full mental capacity.
• Equality Act 2010: Promotes inclusivity and guarantees tailored services for individuals with protected characteristics such as disability or age.
• Children and Families Act 2014: Focuses on personalised education and care plans for children with additional needs.

Terminology Linked to Personalisation

It’s important to understand terms associated with personalisation:

• Person-Centred Care: This focuses on involving individuals in their care planning and delivery.
• Self-Directed Support: Allows people to manage their care budgets independently to purchase the services they need.
• Individualised Care: Delivers services based on personal preferences, rather than grouping people together.
• Wellbeing: The state of feeling healthy, happy, and secure—personalisation supports people to achieve this.

Personalisation and Your Role

As a health and social care worker, you play a key part in delivering personalised support. This involves:

• Listening carefully to service users to understand their priorities.
• Respecting individual choices, even if they differ from standard options.
• Working collaboratively with people to develop care plans that reflect their preferences.
• Adapting your approach to suit each person’s needs.

By focusing on personalisation, you can empower service users to take control of their lives and achieve their goals. This builds stronger relationships and makes your role more rewarding.

Final Thoughts

Personalisation means delivering care and support that values individuality. It prioritises choice, control, and empowerment, ensuring that people’s needs are met in ways they value most. As a principle, it respects diversity, promotes wellbeing, and improves the lives of people in health and social care settings. As a worker, understanding and applying personalisation helps you create positive outcomes for everyone you support.