Realistic Medicine

The 6-step REDMAP framework is recommended as a guide to future care planning  conversations in Scotland. It gives some examples of what we can say at each step and highlights key phrases you can adapt to different people and situations.

Some communication approaches are known to be helpful when talking about changes in health, and how future care planning can help people living with a wide range of health conditions.  

Choosing language carefully when having future care planning conversations can help support clear, unambiguous communication that people and their families can understand. This is particularly important if future care planning is only starting when someone is seriously ill and may be in their last few weeks, days or hours of life.  

Talking about future care planning: Alternative format 

Choosing language carefully when having anticipatory care planning conversations can help support clear, unambiguous communication that people and their families can understand.

The box below has some helpful tips.

Future care planning is relevant in all care settings and can help a wide range of people of all ages, their families and carers. Having a future care plan at home (including in a care home) helps people get better urgent and emergency treatment and care. In hospital, a treatment escalation plan (TEP) based on the national TEP improves continuity of care and decision making during that admission.  

• Future care planning conversation guide for health and care staff or workers.
• NHS Inform: public information on future care planning.

To support staff in learning how to have meaningful conversations, future care planning toolkits have been developed.

The toolkits contain all the resources needed for experienced facilitators to run an interactive, online future care planning conversation masterclass. They contain a detailed running order and script for the session, facilitator notes, and handouts for participants plus example clinical scenarios. Facilitators are encouraged to adapt the scenario to the learning needs of their participants. The toolkits can also be used for in-person training.