Introducing personalised care planning into Newham: outcomes of a pilot project

Abstract

To explore the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a personalised care planning approach for diabetes care in general practice. A four-stage care planning process was introduced for diabetes annual review, involving patients (1) being made aware of the new process, (2) attending an appointment to gather clinical data, (3) receiving and reviewing their results and (4) attending a care planning consultation. The latter is a collaborative discussion with the health professional about their response to their results, their goals and desired action plan. Health professionals received specialist training in personalised care planning, including practice observations and feedback. Sixty-six per cent of patients eligible to participate in the project attended both appointments and received an annual review. Of these, 89% also agreed a personalised care plan. Staff reported greater engagement among patients who had read and understood their results. Fourteen per cent of patients reported that they had not agreed a care plan but would have liked one. Patients reported increased confidence in managing their condition with 75% feeling that their ideas and goals were discussed completely. Introducing personalised care planning to general practice diabetes care is possible and well received. Our model for implementation of personalised care planning, which includes specialist training for practice teams and ongoing support from local colleagues and health organizations, can help to meet national recommendations for the provision of personalised care plans for people with long-term conditions. When implementing personalised care planning, efficient administration is vital and behaviour change is necessary for both staff and patients.