74
People
Number of people in A&E department
1:26
Hours
Average wait to be seen by a clinician
2:57
Hours
Average time in the department
ReSPECT
Emergency Care and Treatment Planning
In an emergency, healthcare professionals may have to make rapid decisions about your treatment, and you may not be well enough to discuss what is important to you.
ReSPECT (Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment) empowers you to guide them on what treatments you would or would not want to be considered for, and to have recorded those treatments that could be important, or those that would not work for you.
Many treatments that can be life-sustaining for some people carry a risk of causing harm, discomfort or loss of dignity. Many people choose not to accept that risk if the likelihood of benefit from treatment is small. ReSPECT records your preferences and agreed realistic recommendations for emergency situations, whatever stage of life you are at.
Find out more about ReSPECT and access resources on the Resuscitation Council UK website.
This plan can be for anyone, but will have increasing relevance for people who have complex health needs, people who are likely to be nearing the end of their lives, and people who are at risk of sudden deterioration or cardiac arrest.
The plan is created through conversations between you and your health professionals. The plan stays with you and should be available immediately to health professionals called to help you in an emergency, whether you are at home or being cared for elsewhere. Professionals such as ambulance crews, out-of-hours doctors, care home staff and hospital staff will be better able to make quick decisions about how best to help you if they can see your ReSPECT plan in an emergency.