What does 'person-centred care' mean and why does it matter?

Across the industry, the phrase “person-centred care” is being used more and more frequently to describe the type of care providers deliver – but what does it actually mean and why is it so important?

Person-centred care or personalised care is about collaborative working between healthcare providers, service users and their communities. It means care plans are coordinated and tailored to the individual’s needs and are underpinned by dignity, compassion and respect. It involves putting service users and their families at the centre of decision making and working alongside professionals to get the best outcomes for everyone. This holistic approach allows service users to maintain choice and control over their care plan and ultimately, enables them to live a more fulfilling life regardless of their support needs.

Whilst we are seeing an increase in the adoption of person-centred care, this is still not standard practice across the industry – and it needs to be. At Nurseplus, we understand that there are proven benefits of this type of care from improving health outcomes, increasing the quality of care being delivered and service user overall experiences. But it doesn’t stop there – this compassionate style of care has enhanced worker satisfaction. By keeping person-centred care at the centre of everything we do at Nurseplus, it means that our workers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to deliver high-quality care. 

At Nurseplus, we always prioritise our service users’ safety, comfort and well-being and this personable approach is evident across all of our services. Our Nurses, Healthcare Assistants, Homecare Assistants and Support Workers are trained to ensure individuals retain their independence while making sure their health needs are met in a way that is best for them.

Our person-centred approach is also evident in our face-to-face method of care planning and scheduling. We take the time to meet with or call our clients and workers, helping us to build meaningful relationships and get to know our workforce. Cultivating this kind of rapport means both those receiving care and those delivering care feel safe, secure and listened to. It also helps us match clients to workers based on common interests along with likes and dislikes which is fundamental to providing personalised care.

To find out more about our high quality care delivery, whether you are looking for additional support or wanting to join the Nurseplus team, contact your local branch.