What is a care plan?
If you need support, a care plan is a document that specifies your assessed unique individual needs. It also outlines what type of support you should get, how the support will be given, as well as who should provide it.
In health and social care, a care plan is crucial to ensure you receive the right level of care and that it is given in line with your wishes and preferences.
They are based on individual needs and are consequently different from person to person. Although each is unique, they all serve the same purposes, including:
- Ensuring that you receive the same care regardless of which care worker is on duty
- Ensuring that the care you receive is recorded
- Supporting you to identify and manage your care needs
Care plans are flexible. This means that when or if your care needs change, the plan will be reviewed and adjusted accordingly to make sure it meets your needs and preferences.
What should a care plan include?
First and foremost, you should always be involved in the care and support planning process to make your wishes known. Regardless of what your preferences are, your care plan should include:
- What your assessed care needs are
- What type of support you should receive
- Your desired outcomes
- Who should provide care
- When care and support should be provided
- Records of care provided
- Your wishes and personal preferences
- The costs of the services
If your local authority has found that you have care and support needs and that they will contribute to towards the costs, your care plan will include your personal budget and how much they will pay towards your care.
Depending on what support you need, it could include everything from personal assistants visiting you each week to home adaptations to make you more independent.
It could also include visits to day centres for socialising or other things you may enjoy.
Why are care plans important?
A care plan is essential to ensure that you consistently receive the right level of care long term. It also ensures your personal requirements are known by care workers and the people around you.
An effective care plan will help you to better understand your condition. In addition, it will also enable you to live as independently as possible and have more control over your life.
By being involved in your own care planning, you ensure that you will be looked after the way you want. It will also help you to keep doing the things that you enjoy, such as pursuing hobbies and interests.
Additionally, it is important because it helps your family and other loved ones to understand your wishes and how they can support you as well.
Care needs assessment
If you have health and social care needs and do not currently receive support, the first thing to do is to request a needs assessment from your local council.
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