ReSPECT Plan

Created with South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust

I have a ReSPECT plan… What happens now?

Who Can I Talk To About This?
In addition to the healthcare team looking after you, there are others that you can talk to about ReSPECT, for example:

• Patient support groups
• Spiritual carers or advisers
• Independent advocacy services

For further information please visit the ReSPECT website: www.resus.org.uk/respect

Recommended
Summary
Plan for
Emergency
Care and
Treatment

Your ReSPECT Plan
The purpose of your ReSPECT plan is to outline the agreed care and treatment recommendations for you should an emergency situation arise.
This is important, as in an emergency situation, people are often unable to communicate or make decisions for themselves. Having this plan in place, helps ensure that you will receive the appropriate care and treatment that has been discussed and recommended for you, including recommendations about CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

The Care You Receive
Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to receive good care. The recommendations about your future care on your ReSPECT plan are there for emergency situations only, and will not change any other care or treatment that you may need.

What Do I Tell People?
It is important that you know what recommendations are recorded on the plan and that you are comfortable with them. Your family, friends, carers, neighbours and anyone spending substantial time with you, should be informed that you have a ReSPECT plan. It is important they know that you are comfortable with the agreed recommendations and understand what is important to you.
Please remember if you have an appointment with a health care professional, are admitted to hospital or have a health care professional visiting you, tell them you have a plan and if possible take the ReSPECT plan with you.
This allows the opportunity for the recommendations to be regularly reviewed.
If there are aspects of the plan that you no longer feel comfortable with, please speak to the healthcare team looking after you. At home, this could be your District Nurse, Specialist Nurse or your GP in the first instance.

Where Should I Keep My ReSPECT Plan?
It is recommended your ReSPECT plan is kept with you, or if not, that it is easily accessible for people who may need to refer to this information such as ambulance personnel.
If you have healthcare records that are kept at home, the district nurse etc. may recommend your ReSPECT plan is kept within these. If you have any care agency records in a folder in the house you could keep your ReSPECT plan with those.
Other suggestions are keeping it on the fridge door by use of a magnet, keeping it on a side table in the hallway or anywhere that is easily accessible.
Remember to tell your family friends, advocates and carers what is important to you, and remind them you have a ReSPECT plan with your recommendations documented.

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