Overview of advance care planning in Northern Ireland (UK)

This chapter will focus on advance care planning, and related developments, in the context of Northern Ireland. The first section will explore relevant research about advance care planning in Northern Ireland and the introduction, in 2022, of a policy, For Now and for the Future: An Advance Care Planning Policy for Adults in Northern Ireland which provides guidance about this important aspect of health and social care. The legal framework will then be considered including the Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 which, when fully implemented, will replace the current mental health law, the Mental Health (Northern Ireland Order) 1986, for those aged 16 and over, and also clarifies the role of advance decisions. Then two specific approaches, which are being implemented, will be presented. The first is the Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT) which traditionally has been used more in end-of-life care but has been developed to be more inclusive. The second is the use of Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAPs) which are perhaps the most common form of specific tool used in mental health services. Finally, some areas for further development and research will be suggested.