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We are asking GPs to encourage their patients to start a conversation about their wishes for end of life care, or advance care planning. The document which captures these plans is called an 'Advance Care Directive'.
To support general practice in initiating advance care planning conversations and assessing patient’s and carers palliative and supportive care needs, NBMPHN worked with HammondCare to deliver a number of workshops across the region.
The Advance Project offers a free, evidence-based training package and suite of resources. The Advance Project was specifically designed to support GPs, nurses and practice managers to work as a team to initiate conversations about advance care planning and to assess patients’ and carers’ palliative and supportive care needs.
Advance Care Planning and Advance Care Directives are two aspects of end of life planning:
Advance Care Planning (ACP) is the process of developing future plans for a person's health and personal care that respects their values, beliefs and preferences. Advance care planning involves discussion with health professionals, family and friends, and could include a written advance care directive.
Advance Care Directive (ACD) is a planning document written by a person with capacity that is authorised by common law or by legislation (laws vary across Australia). In NSW, advance care directives are recognised at common law. The NSW Guardianship Act 1987 provides substitute decision makers through the 'person responsible' hierarchy and allows appointed Enduring Guardians to consent to end of life decisions.
An advance care directive can either:
The Department of Health National Framework for Advance Care Planning Documents.
A number of resources are available to assist you in starting a conversation about advance care planning and/or setting up an advance care directive for your patient.
Community based end of life care previously provided under the ‘PEACH Program’ will now be coordinated and delivered by Primary Care and Community Health (PCCH) and the Supportive and Palliative Care Service. The End of Life and Palliative Care Coordinator is the single point of contact for end of life referrals and advice and can be contacted on 0456 953 341.
For more information, please call Janice Peterson on 4708 8100 or contact us online.