Anticipatory care planning – let’s think ahead

The Anticipatory Care Planning Team works in partnership with health and social care teams and voluntary organisations to support people living with long term conditions to think ahead about what matters to them.

What is Anticipatory Care Planning?

Anticipatory care planning means thinking and planning ahead and understanding what is happening with your health and care.

Why put a plan in place?

No one knows when their health and care may change. Planning ahead can help you have more control and choice over your care and support. Sometimes, when we are unwell we are not able to explain what is important to us. An Anticipatory Care Plan (ACP) allows you to think, understand and plan ahead for your health and care.

Making a plan

When you are making your care plan, you might want to think about a number of things.

Who matters to me?

  • Family
  • Friends
  • Other people who support me
  • People who can help me

What matters to me? 

  • Decisions about my care, my treatments and medicines

Where I would like to be when I am unwell?

  • What I would like and do not want

Why does this matter to me?   

  • I am able to tell people my views and be listened to by health and care professionals
  • I am taking part in decisions about me
  • I have a shared understanding about my health and care with people who support and care for me.

You can read our ‘Let’s Think Ahead’ leaflet to find out more.

If you would like to discuss your plan you can speak with a GP or Practice Nurse, or with a health or social care professional who knows you and your situation.

Your care plan is about you, your health and how you want to be treated if you become unwell. Your GP practice can create a secure record used by professionals if people need urgent care, called a Key Information Summary (KIS). This allows your voice to be heard and your planned care and treatment preferences shared with professionals.  The Frequently Asked Questions Summary on the Key Information Summary (KIS) provides more information if you’d like to know more.

Making a plan for carers

If you provide care for a loved one you might find it helpful to think ahead about your own care and treatment and what alternatives are available for the care you provide.

Anticipatory care planning helps you to think about and share details of who should be contacted if you are not able to provide care and how to make alternative care arrangements.

If you are an unpaid carer and would like support to make a care plan you can contact: