Graphnet unveils accredited digital version of Resuscitation Council UK’s ReSPECT plan
15 December 2022
After close collaboration with Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) Graphnet's digital version of the ReSPECT plan has been accredited for use. This means that an individual’s emergency care and treatment plan is available, in real-time, as part of their Shared Care Record.
The Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT) process creates a summary of personalised recommendations for clinical care and treatment in a future emergency should the person not be able to communicate this for themselves. The process encourages conversations between individuals, their loved ones and their care teams. Once agreed, details are recorded in their ReSPECT plan, including what matters most to the person, as well as what is realistic in terms of their care and treatment.
The ReSPECT plan is an instantly recognisable purple, double-sided form, kept by the individual until such time as it is needed. It has proved of vital importance to those who have already benefited from the process.
Graphnet, its customers and RCUK, recognised the even greater benefits a digital version of the plan could provide. Having ReSPECT available within the CareCentric Shared Care Record means that clinicians and health and care professionals from across the care community can access and view those recommendations in real-time.
Brandon Newman, Graphnet’s Clinical Workflow Lead and operational paramedic, commented: “As a paramedic, knowing what’s important to the person in an emergency has been a game changer for us. We arrive on scene where it can be chaotic, patients do not have the capacity to communicate with us and family are not with them. Having a ReSPECT plan available means we can make more informed decisions which take into account their recommended care and treatment plan, agreed when they were able to have those conversations with loved ones and clinical staff.
The next logical step was to have this information available digitally in the shared care record. This means frontline responders know the recommendations in advance and there is no delay hunting for a paper document.
What is vital for us is that the person has a voice in the hour of their greatest need, even when they are unable to communicate.”
Digitisation of the ReSPECT plan brings other benefits, including:
- Quick and simple recording of the ReSPECT recommendations in CareCentric on a plan designed to look and align with the paper version.
- A complete and legible record, which includes validation on data entry and links to supporting information / resources available on RCUK website.
- ReSPECT Recommendations are available in the Shared Care Record in real-time, accessible to emergency care teams at the point of care.
- Secure, role-based access tracks and audits form views, as well as creation and amendments.
- Only one version of the digital plan persists, but updates and revisions are all visible to end users.
- Ability to print the digital plan, so a copy can also remain with the individual.
The current version is based on the latest ReSPECT plan v3.5.
Lesley Harvey, Graphnet Solution Owner for the ReSPECT plan, commented: “It has been a great pleasure working with RCUK to develop a digital version of the ReSPECT plan. It is such a key element of providing personalised emergency care and treatment that we felt it was vitally important to digitise the plan and be able to offer even more benefit to frontline care teams.
CareCentric's ReSPECT plan will not only ensure that professionals are able to document what is important to a person, but also, crucially, that the details of the conversation are available in real-time for clinicians to view and act upon.”
Catherine Baldock, Clinical Lead at RCUK, said: “We are delighted Graphnet have developed a digital version of the ReSPECT plan. It is essential that clinicians dealing with an emergency have quick and easy access to a summary of the conversation to inform their clinical decision making.
It has been a privilege working with the staff at Graphnet who have been receptive to our feedback and keen to ensure they have embedded the ReSPECT plan and process into their system.”
