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The NHS has been working towards more person centred care for many years now but with more pressure to further enhance the care provided, we’re looking back at what the 4 principles of person centred care are, what they mean for you and how they translate into a digital care software world.
In 2014, the Health Foundation published a guide to person centred care which aimed to provide a clear explanation of the principles of person centred care, why it is important, how it developed and includes some examples.
Implementing person centred care across all health and social care settings is vital in easing the pressure it faces with limited budgets and an ever growing elderly population, and those living with long-term conditions and disabilities. The 4 principles of person centred care will support in providing high quality care, whilst providing the best possible quality of life.
Person centred care is ensuring that a person’s preferences, needs, and values guide clinical decisions and are provided care that is respectful of and responsive to the individual. The health and wellbeing outcomes of an individual need to be co-produced by individuals and members of the workforce working together which provides better patient outcomes whilst reducing costs to the healthcare system.
Empowering independence for those in care is vital in ensuring continued happiness and fulfilment in their life. When in care, people don’t want to feel like a burden and person centred care is pivotal in ensuring service users can make decisions about their own care, giving them confidence to live more independently.
This is why person centred care is underpinned by these four principles.
Whatever care is given to a person, it should be done with dignity, compassion and respect. The key is to build a relationship between care professionals and patients whereby they work together rather than the care professional being the expert and the patient simply following their instructions.
To treat a person with dignity, compassion and respect you must work with them to understand what is important to them, make decisions about their care and treatment and identify and achieve their goals. This will ensure the person feels empowered in their own care and are encouraged to be independent where possible, leading to better outcomes.
For care to be effective it needs to be aligned and supported through coordination across all aspects of healthcare. Without this care can become disjointed and communication breakdowns can occur. This is why coordinated care is vital in maintaining accurate and legible care plans and medical records.
The use of technology, such as digital care planning software, can help ensure coordinated care and treatment is maintained to the highest standards, but most importantly are shared by all within the care team. This ensures data is up to date, and no duplicated or old versions are kept.
When it comes to care, a blanket approach won’t be effective or align with person centred care requirements. A blanket approach to care may have a detrimental impact on a person’s ability to recover and feel empowered in managing their condition. When offering personalised care, one way might work for one person, but it may not work for another. Ensuring that each person receives highly personalised care to fulfil their wants and needs is essential.
To support those in care, care providers must ensure service users are involved in the decision making process of their own care. This helps them to take actions to support themselves and understand how to complete everyday tasks.
This not only helps those in care but also care professionals in allowing service users to be in more control and less dependent on the service they receive. Care professionals are then able to dedicate more time to providing enhanced care and open communication with service users.
UK care regulators including the CQC are highlighting the importance of person centred care.
“Providers must make sure that they take into account people’s capacity and ability to consent, and that either they, or a person lawfully acting on their behalf, must be involved in the planning, management and review of their care and treatment.”
Implementing person centred care in your home creates a positive way of working, boosting morale to deliver effective and compassionate care. Person centred care can also support your business in other ways including reducing operating costs. CareDocs can support you in implementing person centred care in your home through our care planning software.
To learn more about our software and what it can do for your care home, get in touch with our friendly team on 0330 056 333 or email sales@caredocs.co.uk.
Why not book a free demo of our software? Try it out for yourself here.
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