The care plan turns what we discussed at assessment into something practical: what each visit covers, how the person prefers things done, who gets contacted about what. It’s written around the person, agreed before care starts, and updated whenever things change.
CQC-regulated and rated Good. Registered Manager Courtney Pike. 9.9/10 on homecare.co.uk.
What a care plan is
A care plan turns your assessment into a practical, day-to-day document. It records how the person being cared for likes things done, what their routines are, what their preferences and risks are, and what each visit is for. It’s written by your Care Co-ordinator, signed off by our Registered Manager, and reviewed at least every six months.
What goes in it
A care plan isn’t a generic checklist. It’s specific to the person it belongs to. A plan we’d build for one client might run to ten pages, another might run to twenty, depending on the complexity of need.
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 by your Care Co-ordinator, usually Charlotte Offord or Megan Williams, based on the assessment. It’s then reviewed and signed off by Courtney Pike as Registered Manager before any 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 somewhere accessible so carers, family, and (if needed) paramedics can find it. We keep it updated.
- The Birdie app. Birdie is the digital system our carers use on every visit. Each carer sees the relevant parts of the plan on their phone before they enter your home. They log what they’ve done at the end of each visit, and (with your consent) family members can see those updates in real time. Our family updates page explains how this works.
How often it’s reviewed
A care plan is a living document. We review it:
- At least every six months as a formal review. Courtney or Megan visits, we sit down with you and the person being cared for, 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. If something isn’t working, tell us. A carer’s habit, a visit time that no longer suits, a task that’s stopped being needed. We’d rather adjust the plan than have you put up with something that’s wrong.
What you can change
Almost everything. The care plan exists to serve the person it’s for, not the other way round. You can change visit times, tasks, preferences, the order things are done in, who in the family gets contacted about what. The only things that aren’t negotiable are the safety basics we’re regulated to deliver: 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, not just about her.
What happens if my Dad can’t make decisions about his own care?
We follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005. That means we assume capacity unless there’s reason to think otherwise, assess capacity decision by decision rather than as a blanket judgement, and involve family and any appointed advocates in best-interests decisions. Our safeguarding page goes into more detail.
Can the family read the care plan?
With consent from the person being cared for, yes. The Birdie app makes this easy and is the route most families use.
Who writes the daily visit notes?
The carer who completed the visit, logged at the end of that visit in Birdie. Family members with access can see them as soon as they’re submitted.
Next step
The care plan is built after your assessment. If you haven’t booked an assessment yet, that’s the place to start.
Call 01636 646915 or request a care assessment.
