The Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT) launches today. This is a UK initiative to support Anticipatory Care Planning (ACP) and the ACP process.

It is not planned to adopt ReSPECT immediately in Scotland after this UK launch, but we are considering a trial implementation of the ReSPECT process in a single health board later this year. The impact and benefits of this will be evaluated to inform discussions about the place and long term role of ReSPECT in Scotland.

Scotland has led the way with national frameworks that improve communication and the care of patients in the emergency setting. Prime examples of this are the national Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) integrated adult policy and the Children and Young People Acute Deterioration Management (CYPADM) policy. ReSPECT is intended to build on these and strengthen the person-centred nature of care people receive.

The ReSPECT form is designed to summarise recommendations and patient’s wishes so that this can inform care and treatment decisions they receive, should they become unwell in an emergency and they are unable to make their wishes known at the time. To do this, the ReSPECT process is intended to encourage good conversations around anticipatory planning. It should help create opportunities to discuss realistic treatment options and the aims of care that people would want more generally, and come to a shared understanding.

The process respects both people’s preferences and the judgement of clinicians. Therefore, we want it to complement the work around comprehensive Anticipatory Care Planning that Healthcare Improvement Scotland is currently finalising. We hope to see this is widely adopted around the country, as it provides another key foundation on which ReSPECT could build.

Further info is available here or contact the Scottish Government via email or telephone – 0131 244 1773.