What a care plan is
A care plan sets out how your Mum or Dad likes things done. It covers their routines, what they prefer, the risks, and what each visit is for. We agree it with you before care starts.
What goes in it
Each plan is written for one person. Some run to ten pages, some to twenty. It depends on how much help is needed.
Most plans cover:
Personal details and consent
Who the plan is for, who can be contacted, who has consent to receive updates
Daily routines
Wake time, meals, medication timing, naps, evening visit — the small things that make a day feel normal
Personal care preferences
Bath or shower, hair care, how they prefer to be helped to dress — the detail that makes care dignified
Medication
What is prescribed, when, by whom, and whether the carer is prompting or administering
Mobility and safety
How they move around the home, what help is needed, risks identified, equipment in use
Health context
Relevant diagnoses, GP and specialist contacts, any recent hospital admissions
Communication and capacity
How the person prefers to communicate, any difficulty with decision-making, Mental Capacity Act 2005 followed throughout
Family contacts
Who to call, in what order, and for what kind of issue
What a good visit looks like
Written in plain language, often in the person's own words
Who writes it
The care plan is drafted from the assessment, usually by Charlotte Offord, our Care Co-ordinator, or Megan Williams, our Deputy Manager. Courtney Pike, our Registered Manager, then signs it off before care starts.
Nothing goes live until you’ve seen it, made any changes you want, and agreed.
How it’s shared
Once agreed, the care plan lives in two places.
- A paper copy in your home. Kept where carers, family and, if needed, paramedics can find it.
- The Birdie app. Each carer reads their part of the plan on their phone before a visit. They log what they did at the end. Our family updates page explains what family can see.
How often it’s reviewed
We review the plan:
- At least every six months as a formal review. Courtney or Megan visits and we update anything that’s drifted.
- After any significant event. A fall, a hospital admission, a change in medication, a new diagnosis, a change in family circumstances.
- Whenever you ask. A carer’s habit, a visit time that no longer suits, a task that’s stopped being needed. Tell us and we’ll look at changing the plan with you.
What you can change
Almost everything. Visit times, tasks, the order things are done in, and who in the family we contact about what. The safety basics we’re regulated to deliver are not negotiable: medication recorded properly, safeguarding concerns reported, infection control followed.
Common questions
Does my Mum see the care plan?
Yes, if she has capacity to engage with it. The plan is hers. We design it with her wherever possible.
What happens if my Dad can’t make decisions about his own care?
We follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005. We assume capacity unless there’s reason to think otherwise. We assess capacity decision by decision rather than as a blanket judgement. And we involve family and any appointed advocates in best-interests decisions. Our safeguarding page goes into more detail.
Can the family read the care plan?
Yes, with consent from the person being cared for. Most families read it in the Birdie app.
Who writes the daily visit notes?
The carer who made the visit, in Birdie at the end of it. Family members with access can see the notes straight away.
Next step
The care plan is built after your assessment, so that’s the place to start.
Call 01636 646915 or request a care assessment.
