New patient-led 'advance care planning' guide with tool could significantly reduce pressure on healthcare professionals

‘Taking Control’ enables people to easily record, share and store their own future healthcare choices

A unique guide, which features the first patient-led advanced care planning tool has today been launched by Pavilion Publishing.

‘Taking Control’ – A Practical Guide and Tool for Advance Care Planning’, can be used by healthcare professionals to help patients navigate the complex healthcare system.

It could significantly help to address the fact that more people than ever are dying in hospital when they would prefer to die at home.*

Reducing pressure on healthcare professionals

With only 8% of the 15 million terminally ill patients in the UK having an advance care plan in place, ‘Taking Control’ could mean the needs of more patients are more accurately met.

The tool can be used to supplement and enhance discussions with health professionals potentially saving time and enabling people to be more in control of the content of their advance care plan.

In addition, if more people were to die in their preferred place, this could reduce pressures on healthcare professionals and unwanted or prolonged admissions to hospitals.

How it works

‘Taking Control’ enables people to easily record their story and personal choices on a rewriteable CD. The advance care plan document can be shared with family and professionals who need to know - and stored in a person’s healthcare records. It could also be kept with a Will or downloaded onto a USB wristband.

The need to talk about advance care planning

Kim Shamash, a retired consultant psychiatrist wrote the guide after training and working in the NHS for 35 years. Said Kim:
“Many people faced with long-term or degenerative health conditions cannot get the care they would like to have or end up receiving treatment that is not what they want - because they have not had any advance care plan conversations.
This can significantly impact perceptions on healthcare, which creates additional pressure on those trying to make best interest decisions about and providing the care.
By making this guide available to patients, they will be more likely to initiate these difficult discussions with their families and health professionals and to feel more empowered to ask questions to help them make decisions about treatment options.
I encourage healthcare organisations to raise awareness about advance care planning. If more people plan ahead, we can address their needs better, saving time, money and distress. I hope‘Taking Control’ will facilitate this discussion and enrich the existing resources provided by GPs, nurses and healthcare visitors across the UK.
Dying Matters has produced a fantastic video “I didn’t want that,” which can be invaluable in raising awareness of this critical topic.”

Who is ‘Taking Control’ for?

• Healthcare professionals seeking a comprehensive resource that will empower and enable their patients and provide everything they need in one place.
• Individuals/couples who want to be in control of their future care and would also wish to support older relatives to write their own plans.

Where to buy ‘Taking Control’

Available from Pavilion Publishing http://www.pavpub.com/taking-control/ priced at £9.95.

Discounts available for bulk purchases:
1 – 4 = £9.95 per unit
5 – 25 = £6.99 per unit
26 – 50 = £5.99 per unit
51 – 100 = £4.99 per unit
101 – 250 = £3.99 per unit
251 –500 = £2.99 per unit
500 + Price on application.

The 27 page A5 guide comes with a rewriteable CD and advice on storing the information.

It also includes links to guidance and resources for setting up Lasting Power of Attorney for health and welfare and making a Will.

Better informed patients could reduce demand and poor care

‘Taking Control’ is launched when Professor David Haslam, chairman of the NHS rationing body, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice), said it was "essential for the future of the health service and the future health of the nation" for people to have a better understanding of their conditions and the treatments they are legally entitled to.

-ends-

*70% of people want to die at home, yet only 17% do

Further press information or to arrange an interview with Kim Shamash:

Tam Henderson
tam@gathercreative.co.uk
Tel: 07791 006900

Natasha Richardson
Natasha.richardson@pavpub.com
Tel: 01273 434976

Notes to editors:

About Pavilion

Founded in 1986, Pavilion is the leading provider of professional development products and services for public, private and voluntary workers in the health, social care, education and community safety sectors. Pavilion’s mission is to give people the power to fulfil their potential; to provide the best service they can in their sector. Pavilion is a privately held company and is headquartered in Hove, East Sussex.

What exactly is Advance Care Planning

Advance Care Planning (ACP) is the voluntary process of discussion to help a person decide on their future care, whilst they have the mental capacity to do so. These wishes should then be used if the person subsequently becomes ill or has an accident which results in a loss of capacity to make decisions about their own care. Pre-planning of one’s future care ensures that it will be in keeping with the person’s wishes, and can improve patient and carer experience of the care they receive, and its appropriateness.