This Quick Guide to....Recording aimed at practitioners is based on resources available from Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE). You can access the full range of SCIE resources here.

Recording is an integral and important part of our roles. It is not simply an administrative burden to go through as quickly as possible, but is central to good practice.

Recording is vital because:

• It supports good care and support.
• It is a legal requirement and part of staff’s professional duty.
• It promotes continuity of care and communication with other agencies.
• It is a tool to help identify themes and challenges in a person’s life.
• It is key to accountability – to people who use services, to managers, to inspections and audits.
• It is evidence – for court, complaints and investigation.

Good recording will enhance your practice and the support you can offer people if you can make it a central part of your work.

It is vital to get recording right. We usually know what to do but this is often difficult, given the many pressures on your time and other challenges of your job.

This resource shows 11 top tips for good recording and uses the acronym PARTNERSHIP as a checklist, and to emphasise that the record should be co-produced between you and the person to
whom it relates.

• Person-centered
• Accurate
• Real
• Timely
• No Jargon - Plain English
• Evidence-based
• Reading the previous record
• Succinct
• Holistic
• IT Compliant
• Professional

SCIE have produced 3 short films which illustrate the negative impact poor recording can have. They demonstrate that recording is part of making sure people’s wellbeing is promoted, not just an add-on to your work.

Click on the links below to watch the short
videos.

• The perspective of the person who uses services.
• The perspective of the professional
• The perspective of the carer