NMC Platform 1.14: Exploring person-centered care, reflecting on people values and beliefs

(NMC-Platform 1.14 provide and promote non-discriminatory, person-centred and sensitive care at all times, reflecting on people’s values and beliefs, diverse backgrounds, cultural characteristics, language requirements, needs and preferences, taking account of any need for adjustments)

The term ‘person-centred care’ is used to refer to many different principles and activities, and there is no single agreed definition of the concept. This is partly because person-centred care is still an emerging and evolving area. It is also because, if care is to be person centred, then what it looks like will depend on the needs, circumstances and preferences of the individual receiving care. 

What is important to one person in their health care may be unnecessary, or even undesirable, to another. It may also change over time, as the individual’s needs change. Instead of offering a concise but inevitably limited definition, the Health Foundation has identified a framework that comprises four principles of person-centred care:

1. Affording people dignity, compassion, and respect.

2. Offering coordinated care, support or treatment.

3. Offering personalised care, support or treatment.

4. Supporting people to recognise and develop their own strengths and abilities to enable them to live an independent and fulfilling life.

Why is person-centred care so important?

Many people want to play a more active role in their health care, and there is growing evidence that approaches to person-centred care such as shared decision making and self-management support can improve a range of 

experience, care quality and health outcomes. 

Examples include the following:

• Supporting patients with long-term conditions to manage their health and care can improve clinical outcomes.When people play a more collaborative role in managing their health and care, they are less likely to use emergency hospital services.
• They are also more likely to stick to their treatment plans and take their medicine correctly.
• Patients who have the opportunity and support to make decisions about their care and treatment in partnership with health professionals are more satisfied with their care, are more likely to choose treatments based on their values and preferences rather than those of their clinician,and tend to choose less invasive and costly treatments.
• Person-centred care is good for health care professionals too. As patient engagement increases, staff performance and morale see a corresponding increase.
• Care that is person-centred should also represent better value for money because it ensures that services are built on the needs and preferences of the people who use them, rather than on the convenience of providers.
• Person-centred care and, in particular, approaches such as collaborative care and support planning and self-management support can also help services respond to the needs of the growing number of people living with long-term conditions.

NEXT LESSON CLICK BELOW