As well as being Dying Matters Awareness Week, today marks National Advance Care Planning Day. We’ve put together some frequently asked questions to give you a quick intro. This service supports people living with a palliative diagnosis in the Harrogate district.
What is advance care planning?
It’s making choices about your future care, ensuring care choices at the end of your life are discussed and noted, so that you may be cared for with your wishes in mind.
What kinds of choices might you consider?
An Advance Care Planning discussion might include where you would like to die, who you would like to be with you at the end of life, what type of medical treatments you would or would not like to have and anything else that is important to you for others to know for when you become less well.
Our talking about dying page has more areas which you may wish to discuss
How can our Saint Michael’s service help?
A member of our ACP team will discuss a person’s preferences and priorities for their future care with them, as well as their care providers. They then help the person record and share their wishes by producing a formal document stored on the online system shared by healthcare providers. This ensures they can share what matters most to them as part of their future care.
How is our ACP service funded?
The service is commissioned by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support, in partnership with Social Finance. It forms part of the Harrogate End of Life Planning and Support Service (HELPSS), which also includes access to helpline Goldline* – a 24 hour telephone support service.
How long does it take to complete an Advance Care Plan?
Typically our team allow 1-2 hours for talking through what can be a challenging subject and considering all the options. The advantage of offering this dedicated safe space is that conversations can go into more depth and we can ensure we capture all of a person’s future wishes.
How are our team specialised in this service?
Our Advance Care team are patient, empathetic and able to clearly explain things with their thorough knowledge of end of life care. They understand how these decisions can be complex and gently support individuals to record wishes which are right for them.
Find out more about how we help
Who is in the team?
Our team includes five members of Saint Michael’s staff including Fiona (pictured left) and Helen (pictured right).
Do people need a referral?
While the majority of our ACP patients come to us via referral from their health professional, people are also welcome to self-refer if they have a palliative diagnosis.
See details of the service, including referrals, on our ACP page
What’s the connection to Dying Matters?
Dying Matters is all about encouraging people to talk openly about death to break down taboos and also have important conversations like this which can improve their quality of life.
Other relevant areas to explore
- Funeral Wishes service– free for anyone to download our guide
- Wellbeing Network and weekly drop in– peer support for people affected by terminal illness or bereavement
- Wellbeing directory– places to turn within the Harrogate district
- Talking About Dying page– free resources to help open up important discussions
