Person-centred care is a fundamental principle across all UK care regulators. But what does "person-centred" actually look like in your daily notes?
The Problem With Task-Focused Notes
Many care workers are trained to document what they did rather than what the service user experienced. A task-focused note might read: "Personal care given. Breakfast served. Medication administered."
While technically accurate, this tells us nothing about the person's preferences, mood, choices, or outcomes.
A Better Framework: VOICE
We recommend the VOICE framework for person-centred recording:
- Voice — Did you record the service user's own words or wishes?
- Outcome — What was the result of the care or activity?
- Individuality — Does the note reflect this specific person?
- Choice — Were options offered? What did they choose?
- Emotion — How did the service user feel or respond?
Before and After
Before: "Personal care completed. Resident washed and dressed."
After: "Mrs Ahmed chose to wear her blue cardigan today. She was assisted with personal care and expressed preference for a shower rather than a bath. She appeared relaxed and smiled when her hair was styled the way she likes."
Making the Shift
Transitioning to person-centred recording takes practice, but the impact is significant. It demonstrates to regulators — and families — that you truly know and respect the people in your care.
Disclaimer: Evidentia provides AI-assisted suggestions only and does not constitute professional or regulatory advice.
Evidentia Team
Compliance intelligence insights from the Recordsafe team.