Community Introduction letter, April 2010. Respecting Patient ...

<strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong> Choices® Program for <strong>Community</strong> Health ServicesDear Service Providers,The Advance Care Planning Program, <strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong> Choices® (RPC) will be rollingout across CNAHS region in 2010 in line with the SA Health Care Plan 2007-2016commitment to including advance care planning as part of the strategy to provideappropriate health care to an aging population (p.14). Advance care planning enablespatient-centred care at the end of life, improving patient, family and staff satisfaction. RPCprovides a framework for helping people with advance care planning as part of routine carethrough out the community and acute continuum of care.The Ambulatory and Primary Health Care Directorate has established the CNAHS<strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong> Choices Task Group which will provide leadership and direction in thedevelopment of a regional approach to advanced care planning. This will focus onensuring that CNAHS health services; recognise the importance of advance directives in care planning and clinicaldecision making have systems in place that ensure advance directives are in place and acted upon strengthen system-wide capacity to engage people in timely advanced careplanning.The <strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong> Choices® Program (RPCP) in SAThe RPCP was introduced and adapted to Australia (under licence) in 2002 by the AustinHospital in Victoria and the program commence in SA at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in2004. The program’s aims include: Quality end of life care and good death clinical care consistent with patient’spreferences when capacity is lost; Improved decision making process; Improved patient’s well-being by reducingfrequency of over or under treatment; Reduce patient’s concern regarding possible burden placed on family and others.The program philosophy supports respect for a person’s autonomy and dignity and doesnot support euthanasia or assisted suicide. The Austin Health National <strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong>Choices webpage is a wealth of information and can be visited onhttp://www.respectingpatientchoices.org.au/ and the original <strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong> ChoicesProgram® website is http://www.respectingchoices.org/.The Anticipatory Direction document makes known a person’s preference for medicaltreatment if in the future they are incapable of deciding for themself. It applies only whenthey are in the terminal phase of a terminal illness or a persistent vegetative state. It canbe used as a stand alone document or as an accompaniment to the Medical Power ofAttorney or Enduring Power of Guardianship.Based on the success of the pilot, RPCP was extended to local residential care facilitiesand GP practices. More than 400 acute, community and country staff have trained asadvance care planning facilitators, resulting in at least 1300 patients registered withadvance care plans. Residents presenting to TQEH Emergency Department from aged<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Introduction</strong> <strong>letter</strong>, <strong>April</strong> <strong>2010.</strong>

care facilities are now five times more likely to have an advance care plan than before theprogram.In order to support agencies and service providers within the CNAHS region, informationand training sessions are being offered to community service providers. The aim is toprovide all agencies and allied health services with an awareness of the program, the abilityto support clients in completing advanced directives and knowledge of how the programinitiatives relate to patient care and quality health outcomes.The current initiative will assist service providers to incorporate RPC as a sustainableaspect of regular program delivery within their organisation.The <strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong> Choices® 2010 Training Program includes Facilitators Training,which is available online as e-learning modules, followed by a one-day workshop. Thetraining is accredited by the Royal College of Nursing Australia and attracts 15 CNE pointsfor professional development towards annual registration. Training days are beingcoordinated at CNAHS hospitals and available to community service provider staff. Trainthe Trainer e-learning modules and workshops are also available once the facilitatorworkshop has been completed.For more information about the Program or to arrange an on-site staff awareness sessionplease contact the <strong>Community</strong> Project Officers:Lorrain Jones: lorrain.jones@health.sa.gov.auorHeather Banham: heather.banham@health.sa.gov.auorRPC Administrative Assistant, Tracy Kroon Tracy.Kroon@health.sa.gov.auPhone 8222 8498Alternatively please return the attached request for information form in the reply paidenvelope provided and we will contact you as soon as possible.Yours sincerely,Heather Banham and Lorrain Jones<strong>Community</strong> Project Officers<strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong> Choices® ProgramCNAHS<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Introduction</strong> <strong>letter</strong>, <strong>April</strong> <strong>2010.</strong>

<strong>Respecting</strong> <strong>Patient</strong> Choices® Program Information RequestOrganisation/Agency Name: _________________________________Key Contact: _____________________________________________Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________Phone: ______________________Fax: ________________________Email: __________________________________________________Visit request: (please nominate type below)Individual information sessionGroup information sessionPreferred day: __________________Preferred Time: AM / PM<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Introduction</strong> <strong>letter</strong>, <strong>April</strong> <strong>2010.</strong>