ReSPECT Forms and Message in a Bottle Schemes
In recent months, I’ve counted two paramedics and an emergency room nurse among my Will-writing clients. From them, I learned about ReSPECT forms and the Message in a Bottle scheme. Since learning about these schemes, I’ve started mentioning them when discussing Power of Attorney documents with clients regarding their health and welfare. Thus far, no one I’ve spoken to has heard of them – so here’s why you should give serious thought to getting both these things set up for yourself or a relative.
In conversation with the paramedics, it transpired that they often found themselves in situations where they were administering treatments, resuscitation for example, that either the patient concerned or the relatives didn’t want. But – because the patient and/or family had nothing legally recognised in writing stating such wishes – the paramedics had to carry on – because they’re legally obliged to do so.
So, if you have a relative that has expressed particular wishes – or if you yourself do – then read on. This is important – it can be a life saver!
The ReSPECT Forms
Organized by the Resuscitation Council UK, ReSPECT, in this instance, stands for: Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment.
What the process does is it sets up a summary of personalized recommendations for your relative’s (or your own) clinical care in the event of a future emergency. This might be a situation where you or your relative can’t make decisions or express any wishes – death or cardiac arrest, for instance. But it’s not limited to those things. The realistic agreed clinical recommendations that you can record on your ReSPECT form can include whether you or your relative should receive CPR in the event of respiratory or cardiac failure.
Since learning about this scheme, I’ve taken my mother to her GP and together we’ve drawn one up. It covers a number of things, including information on what prescriptions she has.
As I’ve indicated, you can create your plan between yourself/your relative and one or more health care professionals with whom you’re involved. Once drawn up, the plan should stay with the person concerned and be easily available to health and care professionals who find themselves tasked with making spur-of-the-moment decisions in the event of an emergency. One where the person concerned can’t take part in making the necessary decisions.
And that point allows me to segue into …
The Message in a Bottle scheme
As with so many things, the message in a bottle scheme is a simple yet clever way to ensure that any emergency services attending an ill person in their home can access crucial medical information – a ReSPECT form, for example. The MIAB comprises a small plastic container holding both medical and prescription information stored somewhere in the home where a paramedic or call-out GP can find it – the fridge is a good place. It’s much less likely to get mislaid there, and a medical responder doesn’t have to rifle through drawers and cupboards to find it.
The MIAB is of particular use to a medical practitioner in a situation where the person they’re attending to can’t communicate. So, if you or a relative lives alone or with life-threatening conditions, then I urge you to get one. You get a sticker with the container, to put somewhere visible – the front door perhaps – to alert the medics that you have a message in a bottle.
In Swindon, the Swindon Lions operate this scheme free of charge, by the Swindon Lions. You can contact them on email at: contact@Swindonlions.org or telephone them on: 0345 833 5745
I trust you’ve found this helpful. But please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like more information on anything I’ve said above. You can call me on 07538946839 or email me at info@swindonwillwriting.co.uk