Advance care planning, an art not an algorithm

Advance Care Planning (ACP) in the oncology and palliative care population is not about “signing away” interventions that an individual doesn’t want, but rather a process of focusing on the goals of care for that patient.

Increasingly, patients are referred to the palliative care service earlier, whilst still having active treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This presents a distinct and unique challenge in End of Life (EOL) care, with tension between the use of preventative/palliative treatment and symptom management and palliative care.

Essential components to ACP include the assessment of a patient’s mental competence, and their ability to interpret and communicate their understanding of the risk: benefit burden and treatment options. The ACP document is not static, and requires regular review depending on an individual’s status.

During this presentation practical advice and suggestions (drawing on clinical experience), on navigating the complex pathways and treatment options for patients in the development of an ACP, will be offered.