Advanced Care Planning (Macintyre)

Summary

Advance Care Planning (ACP) is becoming increasingly important in ensuring that people receive good care and ultimately experience a “good death”.

ACP can lead to less aggressive or invasive medical care, better quality of life near death, decreased rates of hospital admission, and people being more likely to receive care that is aligned with their wishes and dignity.

It can be a difficult subject to discuss and can be confusing for health and social care professionals, staff and families, due to a lack of knowledge about ACP and a lack of awareness regarding the legal position.

Content

• Why is Advance Care Planning Important?
• What is Advance Care Planning?
• Who can undertake Advance Care Planning and when should it occur?
• When should Advance Care Planning take place?
• Identify ways of promoting positive communication around ACP
• Recognise barriers to communication
• Promoting opportunities for discussion and responding to 'cues'
• Time and place
• Communicate and Listen
• Documenting
• References.