Why Person-Centred Support Plans Should Never Be Cut-and-Paste
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Blog 6 of 7: This article is part of our 7-part series on tailoring support in person-centred care. Scroll down to explore links to the full series.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of using standardised templates and wording in support plans. But commissioners and inspectors can spot copy-paste content a mile off — and it immediately raises doubts about how person-centred your service really is.
Personalised support isn’t about filling in blanks. It’s about capturing what matters to the person, in their words, in a way that shapes how support is delivered every day. That’s why learning disability tenders and domiciliary care bids often score poorly when responses are generic or repetitive.
📌 Why it matters in tenders and inspections
When describing your person-centred approach in a bid or inspection, vague statements like “we tailor support to individual needs” won’t go far. What commissioners want to see is:
- Clear, unique detail in support plans
- Language that reflects the person — not the provider
- Evidence of involvement from the person, family, and key staff
Copy-paste plans suggest a service-led model, not one that adapts around the individual. This is especially risky in home care tenders, where commissioners want reassurance that support will be tailored for each individual.
✅ What to include instead
- Quotes from the person: “I like to…” or “I feel anxious when…”
- Descriptive goals that reflect personality, not generic outcomes
- Examples of co-production — who helped write the plan and how
- Visuals, drawings, photos or symbols where appropriate
Templates are useful to guide practice, but they must always lead to bespoke content. Commissioners want to feel confident that plans drive support — not the other way around. Many providers use our specialist proofreading service to ensure plans and evidence sound genuinely person-centred, not formulaic.
📚 Explore the full 7-part series on tailoring support in person-centred care:
- 🗣️ 1 – Tailoring Support: What It Means and Why It Matters
- 💪 2 – How to Tailor Support to People’s Strengths (Not Just Their Needs)
- 📄 3 – One Page Profiles: More Than Just a Tool
- 🌅 4 – “What Would a Good Day Look Like?” — The Most Important Question
- 🎛️ 5 – Embedding Choice and Control in Everyday Support
- ✂️ 6 – Why Person-Centred Support Plans Should Never Be Cut-and-Paste
- 🤔 7 – Are You Really Tailoring Support — or Just Offering Options?