DNACPR policy for eastern and coastal Kent.
This policy aims to communicate a consistent and transferable approach to decisions around patient care - taking into account their medical condition, their wishes and those of their family.
It is aligned with the DNACPR principles for NHS and voluntary sector organisations, developed by the SHA End of Life Care Clinical Advisory Group.
It has been approved by the PCT and LMC and eventually the same form will be used by all providers, including GPs and others in primary care, the acute hospital trusts (both East Kent and Medway)and the hospices(both Pilgrims and Wisdom).
The policy document includes a patient form, known as a ‘Red Letter’. This form must be printed in colour and NOT photocopied. If you require pre-printed forms – for example if your surgery does not have a colour printer – then these can be provided for you. There will be a grey carbon copy that can be kept in your notes or copied to others.
The red letter must stay with the patient. This is an important principle, as it means that the patient or their family can use the letter in an emergency situation. We will be writing to SECAMB and other organisations to explain what the red letter means, and how it should be used. The red letter will travel with the patient and be valid in any setting, no matter where it was signed.
Decisions about CPR must be made on the basis of an individual assessment of each patient’s case and circumstances. Advance care planning, including making decisions about CPR, is an important part of good clinical care for those who are at risk of cardio-respiratory arrest. There will be some training sessions provided for those that require or wish to have them
Please take the time to read the policy and familiarise yourself with it and the red letter. The principle of ‘one patient, one form’ is key to the success of this approach and we hope that you will feel able to implement this policy in your practice for the benefit of your patients and their families.
Print off the form here (the form MUST be printed in colour to be valid)
If you would like hard copies of the forms, email the Communications Team.
