One year on from the expansion of the Universal Care Plan (UCP), thousands more Londoners are benefiting from more personalised, joined‑up care, wherever they are in the Capital (27 January 2026).

The UCP is an NHS service that enables Londoners to have their care plans digitally shared with health and care professionals across the Capital, helping to ensure that their care wishes and needs are respected wherever they receive care.

A year ago this week the UCP expanded to become a broader personalised care and support plan to help tens of thousands more Londoners with long term conditions benefit from the joined-up care it supports.

In addition to supporting palliative or end-of-life care and people with sickle cell disease, the UCP expanded to also support citizens with other long-term conditions including dementia, frailty, carer contingency, learning disabilities and autism.

In total over 96,000 people living or receiving care in London have a care plan on the system compared to around 82,000 when the UCP expansion took place a year ago. This includes:

• over 12,300 people with frailty;
• over 11,800 people with dementia;
• over 1,100 with people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people; and ​
• around 250 people who are carers (this is helps to ensure the cared-for-person continues to be supported tin their absence such as if they are receiving emergency care themselves).

This is important because during 2025 there were around 453,000 views of care plans by health and care staff, a 30% increase on 2024. This includes 130,000 views by urgent care staff, a 62% increase on 2024. This is helping to ensure that more Londoners get the right care wherever they are in the Capital.

Nick Tigere, Head of the Universal Care Plan Programme, said:

“It is great news that since the UCP expanded to new care pathways such as learning disability and frailty a year ago, we have taken another step in equipping our health and care professionals with the clinical tools they need to better support their patients. This is helping to ensure they receive the right care wherever they are in the Capital. This is testament to the hard work of so many people across the Capital and I would like to thank everyone involved. Our work continues to ensure every Londoner who needs one has a UCP so more people benefit from the joined-up care it supports.”

Katherine Buxton, Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Clinical Lead for the Universal Care Plan, said:

“I see first hand the positive difference the UCP is making in helping to ensure patients receive the care and outcomes they need and want. It allows professionals, who may not have previously met the person, to be able to manage their care in line with their preferences.”

Barbara Benedek, member of the UCP’s People with Lived Experience Group, said:

“As a patient, it is reassuring to me to know that, if I need medical care urgently, the paramedics, A&E staff and others who will look after me, will know about my medical conditions, my medication and my wishes about my care. That is what the UCP does for Londoners.”

A care plan is created on the UCP system following a conversation between a patient and a professional involved in their care. Once saved, it is visible to all health and care services who use the system, including those who may care for the patient during an emergency. This helps to ensure a patient’s wishes and preferences are always considered, so they receive the care and outcomes that reflect what matters to them.

Patients can also view their UCP on the NHS App or web browser helping to reassure them that their care plans are communicated correctly to those professionals looking after them. Work is underway to enable Londoners to directly input into their care plans via the NHS App and web browser.

You can find out more about the UCP here.