Person-centred care (also written as patient-centred or client-centred care, depending on context) is an approach to health and social care that puts the person receiving care at the heart of all decisions and processes. Instead of focusing only on the illness or task, it sees the individual as a whole person with unique values, needs, preferences, and life circumstances.
Here’s a clearer breakdown of what this means:
✅ Key principles of person-centred care:
- Respect and dignity: Treating people with respect, valuing their choices, and acknowledging what matters most to them.
- Individualisation: Tailoring care and support to each person’s unique needs, preferences, culture, and circumstances.
- Involvement and collaboration: Actively involving the person (and sometimes their family or carers) in planning, decision-making, and evaluating care.
- Empowerment: Supporting people to make informed choices about their own health and wellbeing.
- Holistic focus: Considering not just medical or physical needs, but also emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of wellbeing.
⚙ In practice, person-centred care might look like:
- Asking about what’s important to the person, not just about their symptoms.
- Co-creating a care plan with the person, instead of deciding for them.
- Adapting services and environments to make them more accessible and welcoming.
- Using language and communication styles that the person understands and prefers.
🌱 Why it matters:
Research shows that person-centred care can improve people’s experiences, increase satisfaction, enhance health outcomes, and lead to better use of resources.