“My future wishes: Advanced Care Planning (ACP) for people with dementia in all care settings”, is a new guide launched by NHS England.
The guide provides signposting, information and support for colleagues in health, social
and community care settings, around advance care planning for people living with
dementia. It identifies key actions from the point of an initial diagnosis of dementia
through to the advanced condition, in order to highlight and prompt best practice
irrespective of care setting. It also considers situations where it has not been possible
to initiate an ACP / future wishes conversation early and provides some tips on how to
manage this.
The aim of this resource is to help practitioners, providers and health and social
care commissioners:
- create opportunities for people living with dementia to develop an ACP through
initiating and / or opening up conversations;
- ensure advance care planning is fully embedded in wider inclusive, personalised care
and support planning for dementia; and
- ensure people living with dementia have the same equal opportunities as those
diagnosed with other life limiting conditions / diseases, in terms of accessing palliative
care services / support.
The guide also sets out information and resources around ACP that are already in use at
a local level.
The idea for this guide emerged from a workshop NHS England held in June 2017.
It has been developed with input from a diverse range of stakeholders. Contributors
include carers of people diagnosed with dementia, health and social care professionals,
NHS Foundation Trusts, charities, hospices and care homes. Stakeholder input has been
embedded in this guidance to ensure an inclusive, personalised approach for people
living with dementia that is responsive to their needs and preferences.
To access the guide click here.
