What is a patient care plan?
A patient care plan is a document or booklet that contains all the essential information about a patient and their epilepsy. For example, medication and side-effects, appointments, tests and scans and a seizure chart. The plan can be kept by the patient or kept by the health professional. The plan has to be regularly updated by the patient and by the health professional. If the patient is the keeper of the plan, they should take it to all of their hospital/family doctor visits, so that relevant information can be filled in during their appointments.
Epilepsy Action believes that a patient care plan is an important tool in the overall treatment of people with epilepsy. Such a plan will improve communication between different groups involved in the care of people with epilepsy, both in the hospital and in the community.
Very little has been done on a national level over the last few years to encourage the use of patient care plans. However, some National Health Service (NHS) trusts in the UK have designed their own plans and are using them successfully.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline 20 states that: "All adults and children with epilepsy in the UK should have a comprehensive care plan that is agreed between the individuals, their family and/or carers as appropriate, and primary and secondary care providers".
Template patient care plan
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has kindly agreed to let us publish their patient care plan on our website. The plan was developed with a grant from NHS Action On Neurology in 2004. Although it has a copyright, we have permission from the trust for anyone to print off and use the plan whether it is a person with epilepsy, carer or health professional. However the plan must not be altered or changed in any way. This plan is designed to be kept by the person with epilepsy or a carer. It is important that a health professional completes all the relevant sections before the plan is put to use.
If any UK NHS trust wants to use the plan, they are free to do so. However if they want to incorporate their own logo, permission must be sought. This can be done by contacting Sadaf Adnan, Healthcare Projects Co-ordinator at Epilepsy Action, email sadnan@epilepsy.org.uk, telephone 0113 2108800.
For us to monitor and evaluate the success of this care plan we would be grateful if you would provide your contact details below if you download the plan. If you do leave your details, we will contact you in six months time to ask for your evaluation of the plan. Even if you do not leave your details, please feel free to send any comments about the plan to Jude Webb using the contact details above.
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