Preferred Priorities for Care document (England and Wales)

 

Documenting your wishes means that healthcare professionals know how you’d like to be cared for if you ever become seriously ill and unable to tell others what you want to happen.

Although these statements about your wishes and preferences aren’t legally binding, they will be very helpful for healthcare professionals when they make decisions about your care.

You can downoad the Preferred Priorities for Care document [PDF, 99kb].  |

What to include in your Preferred Priorities for Care document Back to top

As far as possible, you should include anything that’s important to you. If you’re worried about a particular aspect of your care, you can make a plan for what you would like and record this in your Preferred Priority for Care statements.

Examples include:

• Where you would like to be cared for if you can no longer look after yourself - for example at home, in a hospital, nursing home or hospice.
• What kind of care you would like - however, you can’t demand particular treatments.
• Where you would like to be cared for when you are dying - for example at home, in a hospital, nursing home or hospice.
• Information about specific spiritual or religious practices that you’d like to be carried out or reflected in your care.
• Which people - family or close friends - you would like to be involved in your care.
• Who you would like to act on your behalf if decisions need to be made about your care.
• Who you would like to look after any pets.
• Whether you would like someone to tell you how serious your condition is and the likely prognosis.

Before you write down your wishes and preferences, it can help to talk through your plans with your family or a close friend. This can be particularly helpful if you want them to be involved in your care or make decisions on your behalf.

You should also talk through your plans with one or two of the healthcare professionals looking after you, such as your GP or nurse specialist. You may want to discuss whether your choices and wishes are realistic and if not, think of some alternatives. For example, if you would prefer to die at home but have no close friend or family member who would be able to support you at home, it may be more realistic for you to be cared for in a nursing home or hospice.

It may not always be possible for your wishes and preferences to be met at the time when you become less well. For example, you may want to be cared for at home by a family member but if they become ill or over-tired they may be unable to care for you. In this case, healthcare professionals may be able to arrange care for you so you can stay at home. However, if this isn’t possible they will plan for you to receive the best possible care somewhere else, for example in a nursing home or hospice. 

Example of some of the information included on a Preferred Priorities for Care document:

Your preferences and priorities

Here are some examples of the information you might be asked to include:

In relation to your health, what has been happening to you?

My doctors have told me that I am now only receiving care to control my symptoms. Curing my illness is no longer possible.

What are your preferences and priorities for your future care?

If I were to become less well I'd like my wife to be involved in making decisions about my care and I'd like to be kept fully informed about what's happening to me.

Where would you like to be cared for in the future?

I don't mind where I am cared for as long as my family are close by.

You will also be asked to sign and date the document.

Documenting your Preferred Priorities for Care Back to top

You can ask your healthcare professionals for a document so that you can record your wishes and preferences.

Or you can use the National End of Life Care Programme Preferred Priorities for Care document [PDF, 99kb]| (original document from NHS National End of Life Care Programme|).

Once the document is completed, you should share it with anyone who is, or is likely to be, involved in your care such as a family member, close friend, GP or hospital doctor. You may want to give your GP or hospital doctor a copy for their records.

You can change your mind about your Preferred Priorities for Care at any time, but remember that you’ll need to make sure you record your changes. You will need to let your family, GP and/or hospital doctor know and give them an updated copy of the document.

Keep your written Preferred Priorities for Care document in a safe place so that it can be easily found by those involved in your care. Remember to regularly review your choices and keep them up-to-date.

If you’re admitted or transferred to a hospital or hospice, take your document with you so that the staff know what your wishes and preferences are for your care.