George social policy to transform social care with

George Engel, an American physician in the late 1970’s promoted the move from a medical model to that of a biopsychosocial model of health, a model that is now commonly used in to deliver person-centred care.

He described the state of health of an individual as not only clinical or laboratory abnormalities but the dynamic interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors. His biopsychosocial model, emphasises the need for an approach to medical diagnosis and treatment that encompasses the psychological and social state of the patient (Rutten and Alzaid, 2017). Over the following decade, ideas of person-centeredness began appearing with increasing regularity in UK health policy. Person-centred planning was adopted through the white papers Valuing People (2001) and expanded upon in valuing people now (2009): a new three-year strategy for people with learning disabilities (Department of Health 2009). The Valuing People White Paper provided a National modernised framework with targets which were used to measure performance.

The framework was adopted as a government social policy to transform social care with principles based on independence, rights, choice and inclusion (Bresnahan, 2004). Principles that would improve the lives of people with learning difficulties. At the heart, is committed to giving people more independence, choice and control by empowering people to shape their own lives, they can access resources and gain assistance through high quality and personalised services (Department of Health 2009).

Since white paper valuing people (2001) person centred plans have made a difference to many people’s lives however much still needs to be done to improve lives of those with learning difficulties, people with learning disabilities are the most excluded group in society, many live in residential care homes away from their place of origin and their families, or live at home with older family members who have their own complex needs (Department of Health, 2009). In 2010, the Francis inquiries into failings in care at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust between 2005 and 2009 (The Health Foundation, 2014). along with Winterbourne View and the case of failing to act (2012) (Samuel, 2012) has propelled person-centred care back into the spotlight, focusing on dignity, compassion and respect (The Health Foundation, 2014).