Department of Health

Measuring person centred practice

Measuring person-centred practice is helpful in assessing services, the outcomes of particular initiatives and whether or not people’s needs are being met1. It is important in improving the patient experience and reducing the risk of functional decline, creating a culture of constant learning, keeping services accountable, encouraging cultural change and boosting morale.

However, before measuring person-centred practice, we need to know what we are measuring. Do we want to understand what person-centred care means to different people, the type of care patients expect or experience, or the impact?

The tool we choose will depend on whether we are measuring definitions, preferences, experiences or outcomes1.

There are three common methods used to measure person-centred practice:

  • surveys and interviews with patients and carers
  • surveys and interviews with health professionals
  • observation of practice.1

Other methods include focus groups and reviewing patient notes1.

A variety of tools have been used in the field, but there is no one specific resource that can evaluate all aspects of person-centred practice.

1. De Silva, D 2014, Helping measure person-centred care. The Health Foundation, London.

Reviewed 05 October 2015

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