What is ReSPECT?

ReSPECT stands for Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment. The ReSPECT process creates a summary of personalised recommendations for a person’s clinical care in a future emergency in which they do not have capacity to make or express choices. Such emergencies may include death or cardiac arrest, but are not limited to those events. The process is intended to respect both patient preferences and clinical judgement. The agreed realistic clinical recommendations that are recorded include a recommendation on whether or not CPR should be attempted if the person’s heart and breathing stop.

Further information for patients and carers can be obtained by clicking on the following link: ReSPECT Process Patients & Carers

The aims and objectives of the ReSPECT Process are:

• To encourage more conversations about advance planning
• To promote effective communication
• To promote identification of person-centred priorities and goals of care
• To promote good decision making
• To promote good record keeping of decisions and discussions
• To be used across organisational and geographical boundaries
• To be used for individuals of all ages.

Since launching in February 2017, ReSPECT has been implemented in eight NHS Trusts, with over 140 organisations expressing interest across the UK and Ireland.

From the January 2020, for UHL the ReSPECT form will be a paper document and held by a patient following discharge from hospital. The discharge summary will contain a note indicating that a ReSPECT form has been completed. Our ultimate aim is for the ReSPECT form to be attached to the Electronic Discharge Summary in a format that allows it to be uploaded onto GP health management systems and the Integrated Care Plan.

Key Contacts

This project is led & hosted by University Hospitals of Leicester

In the first instance please contact the team via….. LLRReSPECT@uhl-tr.nhs.uk

Keep up to date with the project progress via twitter @LLRReSPECT