Personal Health Care Plans for Amputees: A Practical Guide

Losing a limb changes a lot—how you move, work, socialise, and manage your health day-to-day. A personal health care plan turns all of that into a clear, shared roadmap: what matters to you, what you’re aiming for, who’s on your team, and exactly how you’ll get support.

This guide is written for amputees, families, and professionals who want something simple, person-centred, and useful.

Quick note: this blog offers general information, not medical advice. Always follow guidance from your clinical team.

What is a personal health care plan?

It’s a living document that captures:

What matters to you (values, priorities, barriers).
Your goals (health, mobility, independence, work, sport, pain, mood).
Your team & contacts (GP, prosthetist, rehabilitation, community services, peer support).
Your supports (physio/OT, pain management, mental health, social care, benefits/work).
Your day-to-day routines (stump/skin care, prosthetic use, exercise, meds).
Your safety plan (red flags and who to call).
Your reviews (when you’ll check progress and update the plan).

In the NHS you might hear terms like Personalised Care and Support Plan (PCSP) or Personal Health Budget (PHB)—your personal plan can sit at the centre of all of that.

When to make or update one

Pre-op / early post-op: capture immediate needs (pain, wound care, equipment, home setup).
Rehab phase: set mobility and independence goals with your team.
Long-term: review at 6 weeks, 3 months, and every 6–12 months, or after any big change (stump infection, new prosthesis, house move, new job).

What to include (and how to write it)

1) What matters to me

Short sentences in your own words:

“I want to walk to the shops and back without stopping.”
“I need confidence managing socket fit so I can return to work.”

2) Goals (make them SMART)

Mobility: “Walk 400m with one rest by 12 weeks.”
Pain: “Average pain ≤3/10 most days within 8 weeks.”
Function: “Shower safely using equipment; independent transfers in 6 weeks.”
Participation: “Back to volunteering 1 day/week by 3 months.”
Wellbeing: “Sleep 7 hours, mood check-ins weekly, peer group monthly.”

3) My team & key contacts

GP & practice number
Rehab consultant / physio / OT
Prosthetist & clinic
District nurse / tissue viability (if relevant)
Pain service / psychology
Social prescriber / social worker
Peer support (e.g., Steel Bones)
Employer / education contact (if adjustments needed)

4) Daily management

Stump/skin care: your routine; what “good” looks like; what changes to watch for.
Prosthetic plan: wear time progression, socket care, liners/socks schedule, who to call for fit issues.
Exercise & balance: home programme; falls-prevention strategies.
Meds: current list, how they help, review dates, side-effects to report.
Nutrition & hydration: any targets (especially if diabetic/vascular).
Mental health: coping tools; support options you prefer.

5) Appointments & admin

Upcoming clinic dates, transport needs, interpreters/carers needed.
Letters/reports needed (fit notes for work/benefits, equipment forms).
Preferred way to communicate (phone, messages, online forms).
Digital tip: use the NHS App to request repeats, see new GP record entries, view messages and (if available) manage your first hospital appointment after a referral.

6) Home, equipment & access

Mobility aids, wheelchair needs, socket fitting kit, shower board/seat, rails.
Home adaptations and who’s helping (OT, council, charity).
Travel & community access (Blue Badge, community transport, parking arrangements).

7) Work, study & money

Return-to-work or education plan, reasonable adjustments, phased return.
Benefits & grants you’re exploring; who’s supporting (welfare adviser, employer HR, Access to Work).

8) Funding & choices

If you’re offered a Personal Health Budget, list what would make the biggest difference (e.g., rehab transport, counselling, peer coaching, specialist activities, home exercise kit).
Keep receipts and outcomes—you’ll need both for reviews.

9) Safety plan (stick this on the front page)

Red flags: increasing stump redness/heat/swelling, discharge or odour, fever, calf pain/swelling, chest pain/shortness of breath, uncontrolled pain, signs of low mood or crisis.
Actions: who to call in and out of hours (rehab clinic, GP, 111/999).
Back-up plan: if prosthesis fails (spare aids, wheelchair, work transport plan).

10) Reviews & measures

Pick a few to track so progress is visible:

Pain score (0–10), sleep quality, daily step count or distance.
Mobility milestones (e.g., time to don/doff, walking distance, stairs).
Skin checks (weekly photo log if helpful).
Wellbeing score (simple 1–5 mood check).
Work/education participation (hours per week).
What’s getting in the way / what helped.

How to build your plan in 5 steps

Start with “what matters”—two or three sentences in your words.
Co-write with your team: bring this blog as a checklist to your GP/rehab/prosthetic appointments.
Prioritise 3 goals for the next 6–12 weeks; agree actions, owners, and dates.
Share it with your clinicians, family, and anyone supporting you (and store it in your phone/files).
Review on a date you set now—put it in the diary so the plan doesn’t gather dust.

Common roadblocks (and fixes)

“My stump skin keeps breaking down.”
Review socket fit, liners, wear schedule, sweat management, and check for infection. Ask for tissue-viability input early.
“Pain is stopping progress.”
Separate stump pain, socket discomfort, and phantom pain; each has different options. Escalate if pain ≥7/10 despite your plan.
“I’m stuck at home.”
Ask OT for a home assessment and transport options; try peer support outings to rebuild confidence.
“I’m overwhelmed by admin.”
Batch tasks once a week; use the NHS App for repeats and messages; ask a social prescriber for benefits/work support.

A one-page template you can copy

Name & NHS number:
What matters to me (3 lines):
Top 3 goals (SMART + dates):
1.
2.
3.

Daily plan: stump care | prosthetic wear | exercise | meds | mood check

Appointments & paperwork: (what / when / who’s helping)

Equipment & access: (home kit, transport, adaptations)

Safety plan: red flags → actions/contacts (day / out of hours)

Review date & measures: (pain, mobility, skin, mood, participation)

How Steel Bones can help

Digital Health Support: set up the NHS App and show where to find letters, messages, and prescriptions.
Personal Health Budgets & benefits signposting: what to ask for and how to evidence the impact.
Peer support & community: practical tips from people who’ve been there.