Advance Care Planning

Understand Advance Care Planning
The Principles of Advanced Care Planning
Describe the Difference between a Care Plan or Support Plan and an Advance Care Plan
Care or Support Plan – is designed to describe the care to be given to an individual at that time. It reflects their present abilities and identifies where they need care or support. It embraces the care of people with or without capacity to make their own decisions. It involves a process of assessment and person centred dialogue to establish the person’s needs, preference’s and goals of care, and making decisions about how to meet these in the context of available resources.
Advance Care Planning (ACP) – the process of ACP is to make clear what a person’s future wishes may be. ACP is a process of discussion between an individual and their care provider. That care provider does not need to be medically qualified to be involved in ACP. It may be any member of staff or it may be family or friends. Individuals may also decide to write their own plans down. It is recommended that, with the individual’s agreement, the ACP discussion is written down so that everyone involved in that persons care is aware of their wishes. As their illness progresses the person may change their mind so plans need to be regularly reviewed.
Explain the Purpose of Advance Care Planning
The purpose of advance care planning (ACP) is to give everyone a chance to say what’s important to them. It helps people understand what the future might hold and to say what treatment they would and wouldn’t want. It helps people, their families and their healthcare teams plan for the future and end of life care. This makes it much easier for families and healthcare providers to know what the person would want particularly if they can no longer speak for themselves.
Identify the National, Local and Organisational Agreed Ways of Working for Advance Care Planning
National – The department of health launched the national strategy for end of life...