Universal Care Plan expands to dementia, frailty and autism

OneLondon’s shared care planning solution, the Universal Care Plan (UCP), has expanded beyond disease-specific planning, introducing new care planning sections for patients with dementia, frailty, learning disabilities, and autism.

The UCP, which went live in August 2022, integrates with social care, care homes, acute care, community hospices, and primary care to allow information sharing across healthcare providers.

Powered by Better, it originally supported end-of-life patients to record their preferences for care and where they would like to die.

The programme was later extended to support sickle cell disease patients in March 2024 and diabetes and chronic pain patients in November 2024.

Nick Tigere, head of the UCP Programme, said: “This latest expansion moves us beyond disease-specific planning to a truly personalised care and support plan, where what matters to a patient is just as important as what is the matter with them.”

The UCP is connected to the London Care Record, enhancing accessibility for healthcare professionals across different settings, and the National Record Locator, enabling the care plans of Londoners and patients seen in London to be accessed nationwide.

As well as new care planning sections being introduced for patients with dementia, frailty, learning disabilities and autism, the expansion, which took place on 21 January 2025, includes enhanced support for children and young people and contingency planning for carers.

Patients can now also view their care plans via the NHS App, with plans to introduce editing functionality in spring 2025.

This allows individuals to update their non-clinical information, such as personal preferences and daily routines, reducing the burden on clinicians while empowering patients to take an active role in their care.

An upcoming GP Connect integration is also set to enhance clinical safety by ensuring automatic access to GP medication and allergy records, reducing duplication and administrative workload for healthcare providers.

Dr Francesca Leithold, global service delivery director at Better, said: “This expansion marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Universal Care Plan.

“It demonstrates our commitment to making personalised care plans accessible to more people, providing tailored support that adapts to the needs of every individual.

“By expanding the scope of the UCP, we are empowering patients, improving outcomes, and supporting a healthcare system that’s more efficient and responsive to the diverse needs of the public.”

By providing a single, integrated care plan, the UCP streamlines care for patients with multiple long-term conditions, allowing a more coordinated approach across services.

The UCP expansion follows a thorough evaluation process accessing digital maturity, readiness and business case feasibility.