Minister for Patient Safety and Primary Care (): The Government is
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 who 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/
