Improving communication and person-centred care: a combined personal passport in a low secure learning disability service

Purpose This paper aims to enhance communication and person-centred care in a low secure forensic learning disability service and describes a quality improvement project on developing and implementing a co-produced Combined Personal Passport (CPP). The CPP sought to replace fragmented documentation with a single, accessible, service user-led resource. Design/methodology/approach The project followed a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle. People with learning disabilities and autistic people detained under the Mental Health Act co-produced the CPP, integrating communication, sensory and personal profiles into one document. Feedback was collected before and after implementation using structured forms and thematic analysis of comments from service users, multidisciplinary team members and Care and Treatment Review panels. Findings Qualitative data suggested that the CPP enhanced therapeutic relationships, increased professional understanding of individual needs and empowered service users to take more active roles in their care. Quantitative feedback showed improved clarity, usability and uptake by professionals. While some challenges were reported around digital access and consistency, the overall response was strongly positive. Research limitations/implications This quality improvement project had several limitations. The sample was small and drawn from a single service, which limits generalisability. The evaluation relied mainly on descriptive and qualitative feedback rather than outcome measures; the authors did not assess changes in staff behaviour or longer-term impact on care. Despite efforts to ensure accessibility, not all service users were able to contribute equally due to differences in literacy, communication and engagement. In addition, the project did not include follow-up to evaluate sustained use or impact over time. Future work should involve larger, multisite cohorts, longitudinal follow-up and structured outcomes (e.g. implementation fidelity, staff practice change, incident data and experience measures). Practical implications A notable finding was that people responded not only to the content of the passport but also being involved in shaping it. For some, this was the first time they had influenced how professionals talked about them. Co-production appeared to foster agency and wider therapeutic engagement. The team also observed a shift in staff mindset, from receiving information to collaborating around it, suggesting cultural benefits when personalised communication tools are embedded in routine practice. Originality/value This project highlights how co-produced tools can meaningfully improve communication and engagement in secure services. The CPP model is practical, low-cost and has the potential for broader application across services supporting people with learning disabilities and autism.