The Person-centred Curriculum Framework: a universal curriculum framework for personcentred healthcare practitioner education

Abstract

Background: Globally, humanising healthcare is a strategic response to a distinct need for person-centred approaches to practice. This movement has largely focused on the artefacts of healthcare practice, with an emergent focus on the role of healthcare education in instilling and espousing the core principles of person-centredness. It is increasingly recognised that how healthcare professionals are educated is fundamental to creating learning cultures where person-centred philosophies can be lived out and aligned with workforce and healthcare policy strategies. In 2019, six European countries began collaboration on an Erasmus+ project, Person-centredness in Healthcare Curricula, to develop a Person-centred Curriculum Framework. The other articles in this Special Issue focus on the methodologies employed by the project team, and this article describes the framework. Aim: While curricula exist with person-centredness as a focus, aim or component, few embrace person-centredness as an underpinning philosophy and theory, or use a whole-systems approach. This project aimed to develop a universal curricular framework with the agility to work synergistically with existing curricular processes, in pursuit of the development of person-centred healthcare practitioners and cultures. Methods: The project used an iterative multiphase, mixed methods approach, including an e-survey and interviews. Drawing on authentic co-design principles, to create our framework we engaged with stakeholders in clinical practice and academic institutions as well as healthcare students and those working in health policy and strategic workforce planning. Results: We present a framework for the design, delivery and evaluation of curricula, structured using a modified version of McKinsey’s 7S methodology, resulting in each component having a statement, outcomes, and thematic actions to support the realisation of a person-centred curriculum. Conclusion: Our Person-centred Curriculum Framework can facilitate congruency between healthcare education and practice in the way person-centredness is defined and lived out through healthful cultures. Given the iterative origins of the framework, we anticipate its evolution over time through further exploration following its implementation and evaluation.