Palliative Care
in Dumfries and Galloway
What is Anticipatory Care Planning?
Anticipatory Care Planning is about thinking ahead and understanding your health. It is about knowing how to use services better and helps you make choices about your future care.
Anticipatory care plans encourage you to think ahead early. You don’t have to be unwell to think ahead and
people get the biggest gains in improving their quality of life by planning ahead early.
Anticipatory Care Plans are not legally binding and can be updated at any time to reflect changes in your thinking or circumstances.
Why use Anticipatory Care Planning?
Anticipatory Care Planning allows you to think ahead about how you would like your life to look in the future. Having a plan helps you document decisions about your care, treatment plans and what really matters to you. This ensure that everyone involved in looking after you including doctors, carers and the people closest to you, take account of your wishes about ongoing care.
Sharing your thoughts and talking to people who matter to you can help to shape the right plan for you. Remember health and social care professionals can advise and help you complete your Anticipatory Care Plan.
This will help to ensure:
• You have a voice in your care at all times
• Your family, friends and anyone you wish to share your plan with are aware of what is important to you
There are two main forms of recording ACP discussions in Dumfries and Galloway. Using the myACP document, or the ReSPECT form. Please click on the links for information on each, or discuss with your health or social care professional. A copy of the my ACP document can be found here my-acp. There is also a version for babies, children and young people. Once completed, your GP practice can update an electronic system called the Key Information Summary (KIS) so that all health care professionals can access this information. Your wishes can also be recorded on the KIS following a discussion with you if you consent, without an ACP or ReSPECT form if this is your preference.
DNACPR (Do not resuscitate) forms are put in place when it is decided that cardiopulmonary resuscitation should not be performed. More information can be found here. These forms are different to other ACP forms, and relate only to this one treatment. CPR is an emergency treatment for specific problems. It does not work when someone is dying of other causes. Please discuss any concerns or wishes around this with your healthcare professional.
Creating a memory box
A memory box is a container that holds special thing belonging to you.
https://www.winstonswish.org/how-to-use-a-memory-box-with-bereavedchildren-and-young-people/