Advance Care Planning: Universal Principles

Thursday 17th March 2022 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Maria Caulfield)]

The Government are announcing today the publication of the “Universal Principles for Advance Care Planning”, a document jointly published by a coalition of partners in response to the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report into the use of do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions taken during the covid-19 pandemic.

We would like to firstly thank all of the partner organisations involved in developing the document, which sets out six high-level principles for advance care planning in England. This work has been produced for the benefit of patients and those important to them, as well as practitioners and organisations involved in supporting advance care planning conversations and making sure their outcomes are honoured. By working together on developing and publishing the principles, partner organisations will ensure a consistent national approach to advance care planning.

We would also like to thank the CQC for its continued work in this area, as well as patients, their families, representatives and staff who continue to share their experiences on such an important and complex issue.

Planning for future care is an empowering act that allows people to feel confident their wishes will be considered if they are ever unable to fully participate in decision making. By having good quality conversations about future treatment in advance, individuals will have a greater sense of control over their ability to live and die well.

The joint publication of the universal principles demonstrates the commitment that all of these organisations have to ensuring good practice is embedded across the health and care system. It demonstrates the importance of all people, their families or representatives, clinicians and professionals sharing an understanding of the role good advance care planning conversations, including DNACPR decisions, play in high-quality personalised care.

This piece of work has been overseen by the DNACPR Ministerial Oversight Group, which was established to look in depth at the issues raised in the CQC’s report and to oversee the delivery and required changes of the recommendations. The universal principles published today represent a culmination of all the hard work this group and its working representatives have put into addressing the issues highlighted in the report.

The Government and NHS England have remained clear that the inappropriate application of DNACPRs is unacceptable in any circumstance. It is important that those organisations that are responsible for taking the universal principles forward at an operational level do so to implement clear and consistent best practice across all settings, ensuring everyone receives the high-quality personal care they deserve.

The “Universal Principles for Advance Care Planning” can be found here:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/universal-principles-for-advance-care-planning/

[HCWS693]