Overview
Five integrated care systems (ICSs) have implemented a digital form that outlines patients’ end-of-life care recommendations, marking a significant advancement in healthcare delivery.
Key Features of the ReSPECT Form
- The Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT) form provides personalized recommendations for clinical care and treatment.
- It is designed for situations where patients cannot communicate their wishes, ensuring their preferences are respected.
- The form includes details about what matters most to the patient and realistic options for their care.
Widespread Rollout
More than 100,000 individuals now have access to digital versions of the ReSPECT or end-of-life care forms, facilitated by the NHS’s CIPHA platform. This platform integrates population health, single patient records, analytics, and remote monitoring, provided by Graphnet Health.
Financial Implications
The Nuffield Trust estimates that the annual cost of caring for patients in their last year of life is approximately £22 billion. This initiative aims to alleviate stress for patients and their families during challenging times.
Expert Insights
Markus Bolton, director at Graphnet Health, expressed satisfaction with the rollout, stating:
“The NHS has been wrestling with the deployment of digitized end-of-life plans for decades, and I am delighted that we are finally able to roll out a solution at scale.”
Current Usage and Future Plans
The ReSPECT and end-of-life systems are currently utilized by the following ICSs:
- Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW)
- Kent
- Northamptonshire
- Staffordshire
- Greater Manchester
With additional funding, the program is expected to expand, potentially reaching over 300,000 people.
Real-Time Access to Patient Preferences
The digital ReSPECT solution integrates clinical data from shared care records, allowing both clinicians and patients to input personalized recommendations for emergency care, including decisions regarding CPR. This integration ensures that patient preferences are readily accessible across the health and care system, enabling ambulance dispatchers, paramedics, and emergency department clinicians to act in accordance with the patient’s wishes.
Supporting Healthcare Professionals
Claire Mansfield, a Macmillan palliative and end-of-life care transformational leader at Integrated Care Northamptonshire, emphasized the importance of accessibility:
“The ReSPECT process creates a personalized recommendation to guide appropriate care and treatment in an emergency situation, where someone is no longer able to make decisions or express their wishes.”
Compatibility and Accreditation
The digital ReSPECT form, accredited for use in December 2022, is compatible with NHS England’s National Record Locator, allowing for the retrieval of emergency care information across different regions when necessary.