The national Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT) initiative launched in Norfolk in March 2020, just before the UK went into lockdown due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.  Although take up of ReSPECT has started there is still the need to raise awareness among the public about the initiative, and encourage everyone to start thinking about having ‘the conversation’.

What is ReSPECT?

ReSPECT is a personalised process to plan a person’s clinical care in the event of a future emergency. It results in a document that contains the person’s wishes and care preferences along with appropriate clinical recommendations. It will also record when a ‘Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation’ (DNACPR) decision has been made but it is important to note that a person can have a completed ReSPECT form and still be ‘for’ CPR. For further information, including frequently asked questions, please see https://www.resus.org.uk/respect/

Who is it for?

ReSPECT can be for anyone, of any age. It is most likely to benefit people:

• with complex health needs or
• at risk of sudden collapse or cardiac arrest or
• nearing the end of their lives or
• who want to record their preferences for any reason.

Why is this being introduced?

At present, conversations with those living with serious illness tends to focus solely on decisions relating to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) which can result in misunderstandings about treatment plans.  There is variation across Norfolk and Waveney in how these decisions are documented. 

Few people go on to discuss what other types of care they would or would not want in an emergency situation. The ReSPECT process has been developed by the Resuscitation Council (UK) collaboratively with many organisations including patients, the public, and the Royal Colleges with the intention of designing a process that is more acceptable to patients and that standardises processes and documentation across organisational boundaries.

How can I help promote ReSPECT in Norfolk and Waveney?

The Norfolk and Waveney team really want to hear how they can encourage people to have ‘the conversation’. Please take the time to complete the survey and share this on your networks, with your patients and clients, and with your friends and family. Maybe you could also think about starting the conversation with your own friends and family?

https://www.norfolkandwaveneypartnership.org.uk/get-involved/opportunities.html