Advance Care Planning Resources

Advance Care Planning is a shared decision making conversation with a person regarding what matters to them about their future care and treatment whilst they have the capacity to make plans and decisions. If the person agrees, their preferences should be recorded and shared with their GP and those health and social care organisations who might be involved in supporting the person in the future.

The resources in this toolkit are inclusive, including people from a range of backgrounds explaining what is involved. They are provided in various formats including posters, videos and story boards.

Recording Future Wishes

My Future Wishes: Conversation Starters Pack - a selection of conversation prompts addressing four topics: What's Important to Me?; Lasting Power of Attorney and Wills; Medical Decisions; My Care Preferences.
My Future Wishes: A Guide to Advance Care Planning - a guide for anyone navigating conversations about advance care planning.
My Future Wishes: Advance Care Plan Template - a form to record and highlight your future care wishes to others.
Planning for your Future Care (NHS Improving Quality) - a guide for anyone steering shared decision making conversations about advance care planning.
Planning Ahead Online Tool (Hospice UK) - an online tool for anyone to record what matters most, so that if you ever become unwell, the people looking after you will understand your choices.
How to Record End-of-Life Wishes (Which) - a guide for anyone thinking about advance care planning and recording future wishes.

For Healthcare Professionals

My Future Wishes: Advance Care Planning with Dementia - a guide for professionals in healthcare settings to support advance care planning for people with dementia.
Universal Principles of Advance Care Planning (NHS England) - an easy-read guide for people with learning difficulties to understand advance care planning.
Discussion of Unwelcome News Framework (AHSN) - a guide for healthcare professionals to support compassionate communication of unwelcome or difficult news.
Advance Care Planning in Care Homes - a guide to support care home staff in understanding advance care planning processes.
Having Courageous Conversations by Telephone or Video (Royal College of Nursing) - 10 top tips for healthcare professionals to support difficult conversations held remotely.
COVID-19: Advice for Difficult Conversations (Real Talk; Loughborough University) - a guide for healthcare professionals to support difficult conversations in the care of people with COVID-19.
Advance Care Planning for Homeless and Vulnerably Housed - a voice-recorded presentation explaining the importance of advance care planning for people experiencing homelessness, by Leeds Palliative Care Inclusion Service.

Leaflets

Let's Talk About Dying (Hospice UK) - a printable leaflet explaining the importance of planning for the eventuality of death and making the most of the time that we have.
Talking About Dying with Children (Hospice UK) - a printable leaflet explaining the importance of helping children feel comfortable talking about death.
Talking About Dying with People with Dementia (Hospice UK) - a printable leaflet explaining the importance of not missing the opportunity to talk about death with people with dementia.
Things To Do Before You Die (Hospice UK) - a printable leaflet highlighting some things to think about when planning for end-of-life care.
What Matters To Me - an easy-read printable booklet to encourage the sharing of future wishes with family and healthcare professionals.

Posters

Thinking About What's Important To You - a printable poster with QR code and hyperlink directing you to a video explaining advance care planning from different cultural perspectives.
Advance Care Planning Poster - a printable poster to guide discussions about advance care planning for people with dementia.
Advance Care Planning Storyboard - a printable poster to encourage person-centred and culturally aware conversations about advance care planning.
Advance Care Planning Poster (Urdu) - a printable poster to explain advance care planning with additional translated text (Urdu). This poster can be adapted to suit your organisations needs.
Advance Care Planning Poster (Punjabi) - a printable poster to explain advance care planning with additional translated text (Punjabi). This poster can be adapted to suit your organisations needs.
Planning Ahead Poster and Video (BSL) - a printable poster with QR code and hyperlink directing you to a signed video explaining advance care planning for people with deafness.

Palliative Care for People with Learning Difficulties Resources (PCPLD) - a link to accessible resources supporting people with learning difficulties understand advance care planning and bereavement.
Conversation Cards (fink) - a pack of 48 conversation starters for advance care planning.
Conversations for Life... - support, training, and resources to inspire family and care workers to talk about advance care planning.
Lasting Power of Attorney (Social Care Institute for Excellence) - a guide to understanding lasting power of attorney and the Mental Capacity Act (2005).