Developing a Set of Key Principles for Care Planning Within Older Adult Care Homes: A Modified Delphi Survey

Older adult care homes in England must develop care plans on behalf of their residents and make them available to care providers. There is currently a lack of formal agreement around the key principles that should inform the care planning process.

The study aimed to develop a set of key principles for care planning in older adult care homes in England.

We developed 78 evidence-based items and presented them to a panel of health and social care professionals with experience of care planning. We used two online rounds of Delphi to generate consensus (≥ 75%) on items to include in a set of key principles for care planning.

A set of key principles, comprising 81 items, were developed. One-hundred participants completed Round 1, and 80 participated in Round 2. Three percent (n = 4/78) of the Round 1 statements did not reach agreement. Revisions primarily related to the terminology used, clarification of language and an increased emphasis on care home residents' consent and autonomy. Agreement was achieved on all statements (n = 78/78) in Round 2.

Substantial agreement was achieved regarding the document's content. Future research should (a) look to develop a resource for the family and friends of care home residents to enhance their participation in care planning and (b) explore how these principles can be put into practice.

Study reporting was guided by the Conducting and REporting of DElphi Studies (CREDES) framework.

Two public involvement advisers with lived experience of caring for a relative living in a care home worked with researchers to develop the key principles and Delphi survey, recruit panel members, interpret the results from the two rounds and assist with revising the items.