GUIDANCE AND TEMPLATE
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2.0 – Define the care pathway scope
2.3 – Define the care pathway
This template is designed to help you to define the care pathway. Defining the pathway is an important element of
fully understanding the pathway you are analysing, and is needed to undertake a detailed workforce analysis. The
first section of this template provides you with guidance about how you can go about defining the care pathway.
The second section provides you with a tool you can use to define the care pathway.
This template is one of a series related to the stage of define the care pathway scope. The other sections of the
toolkit are listed/linked below:
© CfWI | 2011
1.0
Current and future landscape
2.0
Define the care pathway scope
2.1
Define the care service
2.2
Define the care settings
2.3
Define the care pathway <<< [YOU ARE HERE]
3.0
Map the care pathway
4.0
Understand the current workforce
5.0
Identify pathway blockages
6.0
Conduct skills mapping
7.0
Conduct workforce analysis
8.0
Redesign the care pathway
Modelling the workforce series
Introduction
DESCRIPTION OF THE STEP
Analysis of patient/service user journeys between different care states has illustrated the diversity of these
journeys, and the need to formalise and standardise them. Since the purpose of this toolkit is to model the
workforce implications of care pathways, it is critical to have a clear definition of the care pathway in question.
Care pathways are:
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routes that different patients/service users take through care settings and models of care
defined by a combination of patient/service user choice, clinical need and evidence-based practice
inclusive of the competencies needed to deliver that care
supported by clinical protocols, which are documented agreements on diagnostics and treatments used at
different steps of the care pathway.
Care pathway definition:
A care pathway is a defined sequence of activities, including access, diagnostic, therapeutic and supportive.
These embrace the set of needs surrounding specific patient/service user groups. The workforce and the setting
in which it operates can be configured and evaluated to deliver consistent, safe, effective and efficient services,
thereby defining the patient's/service user’s experience of health and social care.
Patient needs may be physical, mental or social, and their conditions may be high volume, high cost, complex or
high risk. The setting for care delivery includes hospitals, the community, or new units/types of provision which
could be developed.
For more information about how to model your care pathway please refer to the following guidance:
 http://www.institute.nhs.uk/
 http://www.mapofmedicine.com/
 http://www.nice.org.uk/
RELEVANCE TO WORKFORCE
To perform effective workforce modelling, each pathway needs to be carefully defined. There may be merit in
extending the template to capture the primary (success) flow and exception or alternative flows through the
pathway, before a process modelling stage.
© CfWI | 2011
Modelling the workforce series
The template
DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLATE
This template is a Microsoft Word table that allows you to clearly define the care pathways that you are analysing.
TEMPLATE
The following table should be used to define the care pathway you are modelling.
Area
Information
Description
Describe the purpose of the care pathway and desired outcomes of the pathway.
Scope
Define what is in or out of scope for this pathway, to avoid confusion.
Primary actors
Actors are the people who require the care pathway to achieve their goal(s), e.g.
successful treatment. Actors include the patient/service user, and health and social
care staff. They should be listed together with their goal(s) – which may not be the
same.
Secondary actors
Secondary actors are those whose assistance is needed by the care pathway to
achieve the primary actor’s goal, e.g. support staff.
Triggers
Identify the entry event to start on the pathway. (E.g. admission to acute setting)
Pre-conditions
Identify the criteria that must be met before the pathway can start. (E.g. acute hospital
can accept patient)
Post-conditions
Indentify the criteria at the end of the pathway.
Frequency
Define the number of times the entire pathway will be realised, e.g. once a week, ten
times a day.
Interactions
List the interaction with other care pathways, for example where patients/service
users are transferred from, or to.
Priorities
List the top priorities for the care pathway and those that work along it. Try to keep
this below five items.
© CfWI | 2011
Modelling the workforce series