What is a care plan?
A care plan is a written document that describes someone's care needs and how those needs will be met. It should be a living document — regularly reviewed and updated as circumstances change.
Care plans exist in several contexts:
- NHS care plan: created by the GP or hospital team, covering medical conditions and treatment
- Social care plan: created by the local authority following a needs assessment, covering daily living support
- Care home care plan: created by the care home, covering daily routines, preferences, and individual needs
- Family care plan: created by the family to coordinate who does what — this is what you manage within your care circle
What a good care plan includes
- Personal details: medical conditions, allergies, communication needs
- Daily needs: personal care, mobility, nutrition, medication, sleep
- Preferences: how they like things done, what matters to them, cultural or religious considerations
- Risks: falls, pressure sores, choking, wandering — and how to mitigate them
- Goals: what the person and their family are working towards
- Review dates: when the plan will be reassessed
Your right to see and contribute
As a family carer, you should:
- Be invited to contribute to the care plan — your knowledge of the person is invaluable
- Have access to read the care plan (with the person's consent, or under LPA)
- Be informed when the plan changes
- Be invited to care plan reviews
If you haven't seen your loved one's care plan, ask. If you're told you can't see it, ask why and challenge it if appropriate.
When the care plan doesn't match reality
A care plan is only useful if it reflects what's actually happening. If you notice gaps:
- Document specific examples: "The plan says daily physiotherapy exercises, but these haven't been done for three weeks."
- Raise it with the care provider — start informally, escalate if needed
- Request a care plan review meeting
- If the issue isn't resolved, contact the CQC (for regulated providers) or the local authority's complaints team
Creating your own family care plan
Regardless of whether an official care plan exists, creating your own family version is invaluable:
- Who is responsible for what, and when
- Emergency contacts and procedures
- Medication details and schedules
- Appointment calendar
- Communication log — what happened, when, and who was involved
This becomes the operational document for your care circle — the single source of truth that everyone relies on.