What is a Future Care Plan?
A Future Care Plan (formerly known as Anticipatory Care Plan/ Children and Young People’s Anticipatory Care Plan) is a document that can help you and/or your family record your wishes for your care in the future. The plan can help you, your family or carer start talking about your condition and what matters to you. Throughout your life, plans will have been developed for your care based on assessments made by the team around you and it is important that they are aware of your wishes to ensure that your care runs smoothly. Your Future Care Plan can be written at any time however if you become more unwell it would be particularly important to have one as it can help professionals to plan your care appropriately. As your plan is kept by you, you can then let everyone who’s caring for you know your wishes and they can help to make them happen. Your family, carer or healthcare professional can help you write your plan if you wish.
Who would benefit from a Future Care Plan?
Anyone who has a life altering condition or illness would benefit from recording their wishes for their future.
What is included in a Future Care Plan?
There are several sections to the plan which include –
- 1. Management of my episodes of acute illness
- 2. A little bit more about what matters to me and my family
- 3. My end of life wishes
- 4. What matters to me after I die
- 5. Key people who need to know about my Future Care Plan
Your Future Care Plan is not legally binding and will be reviewed regularly as your wishes may change over time.