What Is Person-Centred Care?
Person-centred care is a healthcare approach that places people at the core of their care, ensuring that their unique needs, preferences, and values are aligned with the integrated solutions we provide as social care providers. This approach is characterised by treating people with dignity, compassion, and respect and involves them actively in their own care to reach better health and well-being outcomes.
The ultimate goal of person-centred care is to empower people with the necessary knowledge and skills to make well-informed decisions concerning their health and wellness. Moreover, person-centred care is coordinated and tailored to the needs and wants of the person requiring complex support. One of the most important aspects of person-centred care is that the people requiring support are treated equally with dignity, compassion, and respect.
Person-centred care services have provided positive health and well-being outcomes for young, adult and older people and people living with long-term conditions, disabilities, or difficulties.
Person-Centred Care vs Patient-Centred Care
When discussing this matter, it’s essential to distinguish between person-centred and patient-centred care. It’s crucial to understand that there are many different principles when it comes to providing person-centred care. This is because person-centred care is still evolving as a concept.
In person-centred care, the care provider works with the person to provide support. In patient-centred care, however, the person is supported without necessarily making their needs and wishes the focus of the care plan. Additionally, referring to people as ‘service users’ reduces them to the services they receive, stripping them of their personal identity and failing to recognise them as unique people. That is precisely what person-centred practice does for people who need extra support: they feel not labelled but free as citizens who deserve to live their lives on their own terms and receive the support they are entitled to as a fundamental human right.
To support social workers, case commissioners and other care professionals in maintaining their line of work and responsibilities aligned with the Acts, we have created brief overviews of the Human Rights Act 1998, the Care Act, the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the Autism Act 2009 and the Mental Health Act 1983. You can download each one at our Resource Hub on the link below.
Person-Centred Approach in Health and Social Care
Person-centred care and support can significantly impact the overall quality of life of people who require the right support in their homes. A person-centred approach in health and social care is rooted in the health foundation of enhancing the quality of care.
It encourages care workers to actively involve people in decisions regarding their own care, enabling them to make informed choices. By employing person-centred approaches, care workers can build meaningful relationships with those they support, ensuring that each person’s unique circumstances and goals are prioritised in the care planning. This holistic methodology enhances people’s well-being and provides a more compassionate environment.
A person-centred approach in health and social care includes:
- Putting people at the centre of care
- Respecting the person's values
- Taking into account the person's preferences, needs, and wants
- Making sure the person is physically comfortable and feels safe
- Providing emotional support to family, friends, or caregivers
- Ensuring people have access to the appropriate care at the right time and place
- Ensuring people receive support aligned with the care plan
- Ensure recipients of care are well informed to make decisions for their own care and support
An essential aspect of a person-centred approach is ensuring that the care providers are open to receiving new preferences or feedback and making changes when needed.
Why Is Person-Centred Care So Important?
One of the main reasons why person-centred care is important in social care is because it promotes improved overall well-being and enhanced quality of life for people with lived experience through prioritising people’s preferences.
Moreover, person-centred care meets the emotional and social needs of people requiring support. By adopting person-centred approaches, caregivers can gain a good understanding of each person’s unique circumstances, allowing them to tailor their support. This personalised care fosters trust and respect between care providers and supported people but also leads to better outcomes in health and well-being. When a person’s care aligns with their preferences, it empowers them to engage meaningfully in their treatment and daily activities, ultimately enhancing their quality of life and satisfaction with the care they receive.
Therefore, personalised care is beneficial and important for the service provider and the person receiving the care.
Person-Centred Care in Practice
There are various models and methodologies for implementing person-centred care, adapting to the needs of the person while implementing it.
Putting person-centred care into practice requires healthcare professionals to engage in effective communication, empathy, and active listening to truly understand and respond to the needs and preferences of the person they support.
Leaf Complex Care‘s vision for providing person-centred care in people’s homes follows the highest ethical and care standards. We focus on implementing compassion, dedication, and kindness in our approach to every person who requires complex care. Our support workers and in-house multidisciplinary team enable people to manage their behavioural challenges, improve their ability to perform daily tasks and get involved in their favourite hobbies and activities.
With more than 160 support workers, we deliver ongoing support to more than 40 families with an unmatched consistency of care and compassionate approaches.
Download Case Studies
Download the case studies and see how our person-centred care brings positive change and empowers individuals to be as independent as possible in the community and their own homes.
Principles of Person-Centred Care
There are four principles of person-centred care healthcare professionals should always have in mind when implementing this approach to ensure positive health and wellbeing outcomes.
1. Dignity, Compassion, and Respect at the Forefront
It’s crucial to understand that although some people might lose part of their independence due to various challenges, they still have their own thoughts, needs, and feelings.
Respecting their needs and opinions can empower people under care to feel more in control of their healing journey and their health and social needs. It’s essential to create and follow treatment plans with a great amount of dignity, compassion, and respect.
2. Focus on Coordinated Care, Support, and Treatment
Care plans can easily be disjointed if there’s a lack of alignment between support workers, the care services, and the person requiring support.
Effective communication is paramount for positive outcomes and a crucial principle of person-centred care. Prioritising the needs of the person receiving support and making coordinated care planning a top priority is essential for providing adequate care.
3. Offer Personalised Care, Support, and Treatment
Personalising services for each person enables them to maintain their autonomy and meet their unique needs and requirements. Employing a one-size-fits-all approach could hinder their progress and ability to manage their challenges better. By personalising the care experience, supported people have the opportunity to retain a sense of control over their care journey, fostering a greater likelihood of successful recovery and empowerment.
4. Develop Strengths and Skills for an Independent and Fulfilling Life
Active involvement of care recipients in decision-making is crucial, as it empowers them to take ownership of their well-being and equips them with the necessary knowledge to support themselves. This collaborative approach benefits the care services and the person, fostering a sense of control and reducing dependency on the care provided. However, it is important to strike a balance, as excessive engagement may make them feel disempowered, with decisions being made on their behalf.
Therefore, maintaining open communication strategies involving the care recipient and their caregivers is essential to ensure their voices are heard and respected.
Take a moment and watch one of our case studies – Jacob’s care journey, as he lives a life on his own terms with the person-centred support of his support workers.
Benefits of Person-Centred Care
Person-centred care offers numerous benefits. Firstly, it improves the satisfaction levels of the people receiving the care and engagement by empowering them to participate in their care actively. When people feel heard, respected, and involved in their treatment decisions, they are more likely to have a positive social and health experience. This leads to increased trust, improved treatment plans, and better health and social outcomes. Moreover, person-centred care fosters a collaborative relationship between patients and healthcare providers, enhancing communication and promoting shared decision-making.
Another significant benefit of person-centred care is its potential to enhance the overall quality and safety of healthcare. Health and social care providers can deliver more personalised and effective treatments by tailoring care plans to individual needs, preferences, and values. This approach helps reduce the risk of medical errors, adverse events, and unnecessary interventions. Additionally, person-centred care recognises the importance of addressing social and emotional factors impacting health and improving holistic well-being.
Overall, person-centred care can transform healthcare delivery by prioritising the person, improving outcomes, and providing human-centric care.
The Potential for People-Centred Care to Transform Healthcare
By shifting to a model that prioritises people’s needs, preferences, and values, health and social care can achieve remarkable transformations. People-centred care emphasises the importance of active engagement, shared decision-making, and personalised approaches that consider each person’s unique circumstances.
Delivering people-centred care requires implementing strategies tailored to local contexts and conditions, ensuring the inclusion of local stakeholders and marginalised communities. By integrating efforts across various levels of healthcare systems, this approach fosters a cohesive care experience for people, minimises fragmentation, and enhances overall high-quality care.
Tailoring care plans to people’s needs and goals can reduce unnecessary interventions and costs. What’s more, people-centred care acknowledges the social determinants of health and recognises the importance of addressing the broader factors that impact wellbeing. It encourages a holistic approach that considers a person’s physical, emotional, and social health, paving the way for preventive measures and long-term support. Ultimately, people-centred care has the potential to create a healthcare system that is more compassionate, inclusive, and responsive, thereby promoting better health outcomes and quality of life for all.
Person-centred Care Approach with Leaf Complex Care
In our ongoing efforts to improve health and social care, we are committed to a person-centred approach to care that prioritises the needs and preferences of the people we serve. By adopting this approach, we aim to create a supportive environment where the people we serve feel valued, empowered, and actively involved in their own health. Our commitment extends beyond theoretical principles as we actively provide opportunities for expert training to our support workers and therapists to apply person-centred care and incorporate Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies into their practice.
With our person-centred care approach, we strive to make a tangible impact on people’s social outcomes and experiences. We firmly believe that embracing this approach can unlock people’s full potential, improved satisfaction, enhanced health outcomes, and a more sustainable healthcare system.
Contact our Bristol, South East, Midlands and Somerset offices for more information.
Contact us today for a free assessment and a proper support.
