1.3 Analyse factors which impact planning and prioritising resources

This guide will help you answer 1.3 Analyse factors which impact planning and prioritising resources.

Resource planning is about deciding how best to use what is available—staff, time, money, equipment, materials, and space. Prioritising means choosing what to deal with first, particularly when resources are limited. In health and social care, careful planning and clear priorities ensure safe, high-quality support for people who need it.

Many factors can affect both planning and prioritising resources. Being aware of these helps staff make better decisions and use what they have in the most effective way.

Budget and Funding

The amount of money available directly affects what can be planned and delivered. Health and social care providers work within set budgets. If funding is reduced, managers may need to make difficult choices, such as:

• Delaying new purchases
• Making do with current equipment
• Cutting back on non-urgent services

Any changes in funding—from government, local authorities or private payments—can force managers to reassess their plans and priorities. Planning must always fit within budget limits.

Staffing Levels and Skills

Staff are the most valuable resource in health and social care. When planning services, managers must think about:

• The number of staff
• The mix of skills and experience
• Staff rotas and shift patterns
• Training and development needs

Shortages, sickness, or holidays can all affect how resources are allocated. If there are not enough staff with the right skills, some activities may have to wait or be adapted. This can lead to prioritising essential care over less urgent jobs.

Needs of Service Users

The main priority in health and social care is meeting the needs of those who use the service. People may have a range of:

• Health conditions
• Disabilities
• Cultural, language, or religious needs

Assessments are used to find out what each person needs. Changes in their health or circumstances can mean plans have to be changed quickly. For example, more staff might be needed to support someone after surgery or an accident.

Prioritising means focusing resources on those with the greatest or most urgent needs.

Legal and Regulatory Requirements

Laws and care standards guide how resources are organised. For example, health and safety laws say there must be enough qualified staff on duty at all times. Regulations also govern:

• Staff ratios
• Professional qualifications
• Safe handling of medicines
• Infection control

Meeting legal requirements comes before other planning decisions. If a law says a certain piece of equipment must be available, this gets priority.

Organisational Policies and Procedures

Every care setting has its own policies—rules and agreed ways of working. Policies may state the way to order supplies, allocate shifts, or manage maintenance. These rules affect how resources are used and what is most important.

Staff must follow policies on:

• Safeguarding
• Record keeping
• Confidentiality
• Fire safety

Sometimes, new policies or changes to existing ones mean that plans must be updated and current priorities changed.

Demand and Service Pressures

The number of people who need care is often unpredictable. There may be sudden increases, such as during flu season or following an emergency. This puts pressure on staff and resources and may mean:

• Increasing overtime or bringing in agency staff
• Delaying non-urgent work
• Using spaces differently to cope with extra people

High demand means services have to review what is most important—keeping people safe and supported comes first.

Availability of Equipment and Supplies

Running out of key supplies or having a broken piece of equipment can disrupt daily routines and safety. Reliable planning needs:

• Stock checks
• Maintenance schedules
• Good supplier relationships

Unexpected shortages—such as during supply chain problems or pandemics—force rapid re-planning and a shift in priorities, sometimes using alternatives or borrowing from other services.

Time Constraints

Time is always limited. Care staff often have many jobs to complete in a shift—medications, personal care, record keeping, activities, and more. If there is too much to do, some tasks must be done before others.

Short timeframes make prioritising vital. This often means:

• Addressing immediate health needs first
• Ensuring people are safe and comfortable
• Scheduling less urgent jobs for quieter times

Good time management improves care and helps avoid mistakes caused by rushing.

Risks and Safety

Health and social care workers have a duty to keep people safe. Assessing risks is part of every day’s planning. Higher risks get ranked more important and are dealt with first. Examples of risks that need priority:

• Unstable service users who may fall or hurt themselves
• Faulty equipment that could cause accidents
• Health problems that need urgent attention

By focusing on the greatest risks, managers and staff use resources where they are needed most.

Quality Standards

Services often aim to provide care that meets agreed quality standards. These might be set by regulatory bodies such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC) or local commissioners.

If audits or inspections find shortfalls, immediate action may be needed, such as:

• Improving staff training
• Fixing building problems
• Buying better supplies

Quality improvement plans influence how resources are distributed in the short and long term.

Technology

Technology supports efficient resource planning. Staff may use:

• Electronic scheduling
• Digital records of stock levels
• Automated alerts for maintenance

But new technology needs money for set-up, staff training, and ongoing support. If not managed well, it can add to pressures instead of reducing them. Choosing the right technology and updating plans to match its use supports better resource allocation.

Communication

Clear communication helps all staff understand what matters most. Daily ‘handover’ meetings, update emails, and noticeboards inform teams about changes, shortages, or new risks. Miscommunication can lead to wasted effort or mistakes—such as multiple people ordering the same supplies.

Good communication:

• Prevents duplication of effort
• Supports flexible planning in response to change
• Helps everyone understand priorities

External Factors

Some issues are beyond direct control but still affect how resources are planned:

• Seasonal illnesses, such as winter viruses
• Changes in government policy or funding
• Shortages of staff or supplies in the local area
• Extreme weather affecting transport of staff or deliveries

Planning needs to be flexible, with backup plans for these external factors.

Involving Staff and Service Users

Consulting with staff and service users often leads to better decisions. Workers on the front line understand what is really needed, and service users provide feedback about what works well.

Involving people means:

• Better acceptance of difficult decisions
• New ideas for making the most of limited resources
• Sharing workloads fairly

This helps make plans realistic and achievable.

Reviewing and Adapting Plans

Circumstances can change very quickly in health and social care. Plans for using resources must be reviewed often. Regular evaluation shows what works and what needs to be adjusted.

Reviewing can involve:

• Holding team meetings to discuss progress
• Updating risk assessments
• Checking performance against quality standards

Flexible planning means priorities can be changed to fit new situations.

Examples of Prioritising in Practice

Example 1: Staff Shortage on a Busy Day
A care home finds several staff are off sick. The manager contacts agency staff for emergency help. In the meantime, essential care tasks like medication and meals are prioritised. Activities like reading groups get delayed till more staff are available.

Example 2: Unexpected Equipment Failure
A hoist breaks down in a residential unit. The team quickly arranges for the most physically able staff to help with manual handling, while they wait for repair. The most dependent service users are prioritised for help.

Example 3: Budget Cuts
A health centre receives notice of a budget reduction. Managers review spending, cut back on non-urgent training sessions, and postpone plans for new furniture. Money is kept for must-have items, such as medicines, vital supplies, and core training.

Barriers to Good Planning and Prioritising

• Poor communication between teams
• Lack of up-to-date information
• Sudden changes without warning
• Limited staff understanding of priorities
• Outdated systems for tracking resources

Overcoming these barriers requires leadership and teamwork. Training, good records, and clear communication all help.

Final Thoughts

Many different factors affect how health and social care services plan and prioritise resources. Budgets, staff skills, the needs of service users, legal requirements, quality standards, and risks all play a part. Flexibility, communication, and regular review are key to effective resource management.

When these factors are understood and managed well, it becomes much easier to give safe, good-quality care, even when things change or resources are tight. Careful planning and smart prioritising protect both the people supported by services and those delivering the care.