Care homes across the UK have to abide by UK law and as a result of this they need care planning policy in place in order to ensure that their residents are looked after and staff are treated well. Through this article we will explore the themes of care planning policy and the difference it can make as well as external factors that can affect care homes.

What Is Care Planning Policy?
Care plans are plans that can be tailored to each individual patient and normally include different policies and procedures to follow as well as information about the patient and what their daily routine should be. Care home policy on the other hand is a set of rules and guidelines that dictate what should be done day to day in the care home as well as rules and regulations. Care planning policy can help to provide guide for those giving a care and also simultaneously ensure that they are following correct procedure and rules whilst doing so.

What External Factors Are Affecting Care?
Outwith care homes there are a number of different external factors that are affecting the quality of care given as well as staff morale. One of the biggest external factors affecting care is an ageing population. It is no secret that the population of the United Kingdom is growing older and living longer. But compared with over 10-15 years ago there has been a significant rise in elderly people living longer. As a result, the care system has struggled to cope as there is currently simply not enough staff and infrastructure to meet rising demand. A further external factor that has affected the care sector is recent care home abuse scandals. In the last couple of years investigators from different agencies have exposed abuse going on at several different care homes around the uk. This has overall damaged trust in the care system as safeguards should have been in place to prevent this from happening in the first place.

How Can Care Planning Policy Make A Difference
Care planning policy can have a significant impact on the success of a care facility. One way in which it can help achieve this is by being shown by staff to residents and their families. This can help to provide reassurance to them as it shows that the care facility has policies and procedures in place in order to help safeguard residents and staff. Another way in which it can help make a difference is staff who are unsure of procedure and policy can be reassure through the use of care planning policy. This can help them learn about legislation as well as best practice for their patients. Overall it can be concluded that having care planning policy in place can have an positive effect on the care delivered within a care home. Staff and residents alike would be better informed on policies and procedures and plans could be applied to individuals which are specially tailored towards their needs.
