Using one page profiles in care

A one page profile is often a term a school may use. As a care professional, you may not have heard of it (which is okay). But before we look into why care providers should use them… Let’s look at what they are. 

What is a one page profile?

It’s a one page document which is all about the individual. They look to provide person centred care in a simple piece of paper or document. The one page profile asks three questions:

• what others like and appreciate about me?
• what is important to me?
• how best to support me?

These 3 questions can provide plenty of detail.

Why should we use one page profiles?

One page profiles provide a summary on an individuals likes, dislikes, what’s important and their support mechanisms. Often there can be so much paperwork for one individual and so a one page profile can provide the key things.

Person centred care is a buzz word within care. It should be promoted consistently and one page profiles can help with this.

How can we implement effective one page profiles?

You could simply use one of the many free templates available to download on the internet. And start filling them in.

Though you may find your team would respond to something with a few more sections. This is okay and you should tailor your documentation to your staff team needs. Remember they are there to provide key information, so try not to make it complex. They should stand by these three principles and be:

• clear
• personalised
• relevant

How do we fill out the sections?

A useful way of filling the profile is by using post it notes within each area. Use a whiteboard or large piece of paper and add the 3 sections. This can enable you, the individual and others to be precise. Then you should look at prioritising the sections and ordering them.

Once the one page profile appears done, record this appropriately within a template document. Don’t forget to share this resource with the team.

If you’re looking for more information, here are some resources:

• Helen Sanderson Associates – One page profiles – click here
• NICE – What to expect during assessment and care planning – click here
• The Care Training company – The importance of care planning blog – click here

Have you used one page profiles in your organisation? Comment below how they have helped you and your care team?