Advance care planning (ACP) is a voluntary process. It gives patients an opportunity to share their wishes and preferences for future care, based on what matters most to them. Documenting this helps guide future health care. This can be important if you become too poorly or are unable to make or express choices at the point of care.

People who have completed advance care planning tell us how it reassures them to know that their individual wishes are documented and how this can influence their personalised care.

Advance care planning also supports friends and family during times of crisis, by ensuring that those important to the patient can see preferences for care, relieving them of the burden of uncertainty. 

This process may involve more than one conversation over time and can be with whoever the patient wants to involve.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire - Dying Well (icb.nhs.uk) has a short introduction to advance care planning where you can find some helpful videos.

Why Plan Ahead? - NHS