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The Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment (ADRT) Project Team was commissioned by the Department of Health to produce Specialist Guidance and a Training Programme to support the implementation of this section of the Mental Capacity Act for the East Midlands. ADRT was implemented from 1st October in England and Wales. ADRT will be most relevant for people and professionals involved in Advanced Care Planning as part of End of Life Care. This legislation will support people’s autonomy, privacy and dignity.

The Project Team would like to inform our colleagues in the health and social care organisations across the East Midlands of the completion of this work including the launch of the website www.adrtnhs.co.uk

The Specialist Guidance has been delivered in two stages:

• ADRT Specialist Guidance document. This has been completed. This was supported by a formal process of consultation and ratification and offers detailed information for local organisations to formulate their own policy, procedures and clinical effectiveness measures. It is a regional benchmark or standard. This work has been shared with other partners in the region and nationally in our process of awareness raising of this important subject.
• ADRT Specialist Training Programme. This self directed modular Training Programme is now available at www.adrtnhs.co.uk. We ask professionals once they have completed this programme to talk with their supervisors to seek local validation. This web site contains many relevant resources and links supporting the wider End of Life Care strategy.

The work of this Project Team is regarded a national example of good practice and continues to inform many people, professionals through out the country.

The Project Team continue to emphasise the importance of working with your own organisation, Local Implementation Network (LIN) and CSIP East Midlands. Specific concerns about ADRT not answered either by the specialist guidance or local resources can be forwarded to this Project Team. We emphasise this is not a clinical or routine service.

Ben Lobo
Consultant Physician and Community Geriatrician
Greg Finn
Consultant in Palliative Medicine

BGS Newsletter, October 2007
Issue 13 ISSN 1748-6343 13