Advance Care Planning in End of Life Care

Advance Care Planning (ACP) is an essential part of end of life care in the UK and most developed countries. It enables more people to live well and die as they would choose, and has significant implications for the individual person, their family and carers, and our wider society. In the context of an ageing population and increasing possibilities for medical interventions, ACP is a particularly important aspect of quality care.

Expanded and fully updated throughout, this new edition gives a comprehensive overview of ACP and explores a wide range of issues and practicalities in providing end of life care. Written by experts from around the world, the book takes a comprehensive look at the subject by exploring the wide range of issues and practicalities in providing ACP; framing the purpose, process, and outcomes of these plans; and providing an important update on national and international research, policy and practice. Chapters also discuss values, goals and priorities, and include detailed case examples to aid best practice.

This book is an invaluable resource for all clinicians involved in the caring for people in their final stages of life. It is of particular value to GPs, palliative care specialists, geriatricians, social care teams, researchers and policy leads interested in improving end of life care.

Keri Thomas, Founder and National Clinical Lead, Gold Standards Framework Centre in End of Life Care, Ben Lobo, Consultant Physician and Geriatrician, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Nottinghamshire, Karen Detering, Respiratory Physician, Respecting Patient Choices Program, AustinHospital Melbourne, Australia

Keri Thomas is Founder and National Clinical Lead for the Gold Standards Framework Centre in End of Life Care in Shrewsbury, and Honorary Professor in End of Life Care at the University of Birmingham, UK

Ben Lobo is Consultant Physician and Geriatrician at the Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Nottinghamshire, and former National Clinical Lead for Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment, UK

Karen Detering is Respiratory Physician for the Respecting Patient Choices Program at Austin Hospital Melbourne in Australia