J/618/5293 Person-centred Approaches Sample | OTHM L3

For information and reference only – not to be submitted as your own work.

This extract shows one way to answer the OTHM Level 3 unit on person-centred approaches, where learners write a guidance document for new staff and then a briefing report on consent. It follows the published assignment brief for this unit, and our guide to approaching the J/618/5293 tasks explains the reasoning behind the structure. All individuals below are hypothetical, and the Ryemoor setting is the one used in the scenario.

Task 1: Guidance document for new staff at Ryemoor

Purpose. This document helps new colleagues understand what person-centred practice means at Ryemoor and how to apply it from their first shift. It is written for induction, so each section ends with a practical prompt.

1.1 Person-centred values

Person-centred values are the principles that put the individual, rather than the routine or the task list, at the centre of care. The Care Certificate lists eight of them in Standard 5 (Skills for Care, 2025). The table below shows each value with a short everyday meaning.

1.2 How the values underpin practice

Values only matter if they change what staff do. Regulation 9 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 expects care to be designed with the person, to meet their needs and reflect their preferences (Care Quality Commission, no date a). In practice, a care worker who knows that Mrs B prefers a bath in the evening will plan around that preference rather than fitting her into the morning round. Respect and choice therefore shape the timing, the method and the language of care.

1.3 The central role of care plans

A care plan records what matters to the individual, their needs, risks and how support will be delivered. It keeps practice consistent across shifts and gives staff a reference point when they are unsure. A person-centred plan is written with the individual, in plain language, and uses their own words where possible. NICE (2018) recommends that people are actively involved in all decisions that affect them and in needs assessments, which is why plans should never be completed for someone without them.

1.4 Factors contributing to wellbeing

Wellbeing is broader than physical health. Section 1 of the Care Act 2014 lists dignity, physical and mental health, protection from abuse and neglect, control over day-to-day life, participation in work, education or recreation, social and economic wellbeing, relationships, suitable accommodation and contribution to society (Care Act, 2014). Although that duty falls on local authorities, the list is a useful checklist for care settings. Mr A, for example, may be physically well but low in mood because he no longer sees his friends, so a wellbeing-focused plan would support him to reconnect.

2.1 Understanding preferences, wishes and needs

• Spend time talking with the person, and use life-story work or a “what matters to me” profile.
• Observe body language and responses when verbal communication is limited.
• Involve family, advocates and previous carers, with the person’s agreement.
• Read the care plan, then check with the individual that it is still accurate.

2.2 Putting values into practice

Offer choices at each step of support, explain what you are about to do, and let the person set the pace. Preserve dignity by covering the person during personal care and by speaking to them, not about them. Record preferences so that colleagues repeat what works.

2.3 Reviewing practice as needs and preferences change

Needs can change after illness, a fall, bereavement or a change in medication. Staff should report changes promptly, take part in care plan reviews and ask the person whether support still suits them. If Mrs B starts to refuse the evening bath, the response is to ask why and adapt, not to repeat the routine.

4.1 Active participation

Active participation is a way of working that recognises an individual’s right to take part in the activities and relationships of everyday life as independently as possible (Skills for Care, 2025). The individual is a participant in their care, not a passive recipient.

4.2 Ways of ensuring active participation

4.3 Agreeing how active participation will be implemented

Begin with a conversation about what the person wants to do and what they would like help with. Agree small, specific actions, write them into the care plan, tell the team and review after an agreed period. Mr A might agree to prepare his own breakfast three days a week with staff nearby for safety. The agreement is recorded, and his progress and wishes are reviewed with him.

Prompt for new staff: before you help, ask yourself what this person could do for themselves today.

Task 2: Briefing report to all staff on consent

Introduction and purpose

This report responds to an incident in which personal care was carried out without the individual’s permission. It reminds all staff of the legal and ethical expectations on consent and sets out the steps we will follow. It does not apportion blame to individuals. The aim is to learn and to prevent a recurrence.

3.1 When consent is required

Consent is required before any care, support or treatment is provided, including routine personal care such as washing, dressing, continence care and help with medication. Regulation 11 states that care and treatment must only be provided with the consent of the relevant person, and it requires providers to act lawfully where a person lacks capacity (Care Quality Commission, no date b). Consent may be explicit, where the person says or signs that they agree, or implied, where their actions show agreement, such as holding out an arm for a blood pressure check. Implied consent is not a licence to assume. If a person seems hesitant or withdraws, staff must stop and check. Consent is also ongoing, so agreeing to a wash on Monday does not cover Tuesday.

3.2 Factors influencing capability to consent

Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, a person lacks capacity only if they cannot make a particular decision because of an impairment of, or disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain (Mental Capacity Act, 2005a). Capacity is decision-specific and time-specific. Factors that may affect a person’s ability to consent include:

• dementia, a learning disability, a brain injury or a mental health condition;
• delirium caused by infection, pain or medication, which may be temporary;
• sensory or communication difficulties, such as hearing loss or aphasia;
• fatigue, anxiety or distress at the time the decision is put to them;
• the way information is presented, including pace, language and setting.

Section 3 of the Act sets out what the person must be able to do: understand the relevant information, retain it, use or weigh it, and communicate a decision by any means (Mental Capacity Act, 2005b). Section 3 also confirms that an explanation given in a way suited to the person, using simple language or visual aids, counts towards understanding.

3.3 Establishing consent for an activity

Staff should follow the five principles of the Act (Mental Capacity Act, 2005c), summarised below with what each means on the floor.

A practical routine is: introduce yourself, explain what you propose and why, describe what will happen, check understanding, give time, then observe verbal and non-verbal signs. Record the outcome in the daily notes.

3.4 Steps if consent cannot be readily established

1. Pause the activity unless there is an immediate risk to safety.
2. Try again with different support: another time, a familiar colleague, a communication aid.
3. Consider whether the person has capacity for this specific decision; if doubt remains, ask the senior on duty to arrange a formal capacity assessment.
4. If the person lacks capacity, decide in their best interests, consulting family, advocates and the wider team, and choose the least restrictive option.
5. Check for an advance decision or lasting power of attorney that applies.
6. Record every step, and report any concern to the manager. Where a person has been treated without consent, follow the incident and safeguarding procedures.

Actions for all staff

Every colleague will attend a refresher on consent, ask before each task and record decisions. Managers will audit records monthly and discuss consent in supervision. The report concludes that consent is a continuing conversation, not a form to sign once.

For further support with similar units, see our person-centred care assignment help page or browse the wider range of OTHM assignment help.

About the expert

Aila Gomes completed a Nursing Degree from the University of London. Aila writes essays, case studies and reports on health-related subjects, works as a full-time lecturer in a nursing school, and has worked with Students Assignment Help UK for 7 years.

References

• Care Act (2014) Section 1: Promoting individual well-being. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/section/1 (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
• Care Quality Commission (no date a) Regulation 9: Person-centred care. Available at: https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/regulations-enforcement/regulation-9-person-centred-care (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
• Care Quality Commission (no date b) Regulation 11: Need for consent. Available at: https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/regulations-enforcement/regulation-11-need-consent (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
• Mental Capacity Act (2005a) Section 2: People who lack capacity. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/2 (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
• Mental Capacity Act (2005b) Section 3: Inability to make decisions. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/3 (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
• Mental Capacity Act (2005c) Section 1: The principles. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/1 (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2018) People’s experience in adult social care services: improving the experience of care and support for people using adult social care services (NG86). Available at: https://nice.org.uk/guidance/ng86/resources/peoples-experience-in-adult-social-care-services-improving-the-experience-of-care-and-support-for-people-using-adult-social-care-services-pdf-1837698053317 (Accessed: 25 October 2026).
• Skills for Care (2025) Care Certificate standards (March 2025). Available at: https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/resources/documents/Developing-your-workforce/Care-Certificate/Care-Certificate-Standards/Care-Certificate-standards-March-2025.pdf (Accessed: 25 October 2026).