Queensland Health clinical guidelines
This page contains information about clinical guidelines relevant to the delivery of care at the end of life, developed for use within Queensland Health. Each guideline has a statewide remit. Each facility or Hospital and Health Service has guidelines, procedures and policies—please check with local service providers for more information.
Queensland Health Advance Care Planning Clinical Guidelines
The purpose of the Queensland Health Advance Care Planning Clinical Guidelines ((PDF 5911 kB)) is to establish best practice principles for health professionals and services that embed advance care planning (ACP) into routine practice.
The Advance Care Planning Clinical Guidelines are also intended to provide high-level guidance to Hospital and Health Services in the development of local policies and procedures to progress and expand the uptake of advance care planning for all ages and life stages across all service settings.
Topics covered in the Clinical Guidelines include:
- definition and purpose of advance care planning
- 6 step advance care planning process explained (Identify, Assess, Discuss, Plan, Coordinate, Review)
- ACP Quick Guide to assist clinicians to identify those who may benefit from advance care planning
- communication strategies including how to introduce advance care planning
- who may be involved in the advance care planning discussion and what topics are usually covered
- system-wide strategies to embed advance care planning into routine care
- legal issues and advance care planning, including consent, documentation and confidentiality
- responsibilities of health professionals.
Other resources:
Other useful resources that accompany the Advance Care Planning Clinical Guidelines include:
- 6 Step ACP Process (PDF 1460 kB)
- ACP Quick Guide (PDF 125 kB) —a tool to identify people who are most likely to benefit from advance care planning.
End-of-life care: Decision-making for withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining measures from adult patients
The End-of-life care: Guidelines for decision-making about withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining measures from adult patients replaces earlier guidance that accompanied implementation of the Acute Resuscitation Plan (ARP). These guidelines have been developed to support health professionals in decision-making about life-sustaining measures.
The guidelines include:
- policy position and guiding principles
- the legislative framework and consent
- clinical and ethical considerations
- best practice communication and dispute resolution
- documenting and ARPs.
Other resources:
Other useful resources to accompany the End-of-life care: Guidelines for decision-making about withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining measures from adult patients include:
- Flowcharts (PDF 1995 kB) for providing healthcare and withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining measures
- Life-sustaining measures and legal considerations (PDF 177 kB)
Care Plan for the Dying Person
The Care Plan for the Dying Person is a multidisciplinary document for use in the last days of life. It is a framework that supports health professionals in acute hospital settings to deliver high quality care.
- Care Plan for the Dying Person (PDF, 1.1MB)
- Care Plan for the Dying Person - Ongoing Assessment (PDF, 691KB)
- Care Plan for the Dying Person - Clinical Notes (PDF, 169KB) (download and print additional pages from this website)
Ordering the Care Plan for the Dying Person
The Care Plan for the Dying Person Plan can be ordered online via OfficeMax using the OM code. Alternatively, FAMMIS Material Numbers have also been allocated for areas that are required to raise FAMMIS purchase orders.
| Form ID | Form Title | OM Code | Material FAMMIS No | Packing Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW270 | Clinical Guidance for the Dying Patient | 44317572 | 25 |
Health Professional Guidelines
The Care Plan for the Dying Person Health Professional Guidelines (PDF 755 kB) contains information on best practice care and communication for people in the last days and hours of life. The Guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the Care Plan for the Dying Person (CPDP). Additional information is also provided to support implementation of the CPDP into hospitals, departments and wards across Queensland.
Residential Aged Care End of Life Care Pathway
The Residential Aged Care End of Life Care Pathway (RAC EoLCP) is a care plan that guides the provision of good quality end of life care in residential aged care. It incorporates evidence and consensus-based best practice clinical management and care coordination for dying residents in residential aged care facilities.
The RAC EoLCP was developed by the Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative (BSPCC) with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Read more about the Residential Aged Care End of Life Care Pathway.
Informed decision-making in healthcare
The Queensland Health guide to informed decision-making in healthcare (PDF 1089 kB) includes information about:
- the general informed decision-making process
- adults who lack capacity to make decisions
- children and young people
- specific healthcare situations
- communication and cultural issues.
Guidelines for the handling of medication in community based palliative care services in Queensland
The Community Palliative Care Medication Guidelines presents consensus-based best practice for the handling of medications(s) by individuals and staff of community-based palliative care services.
Further information
Questions or other feedback about any of the resources and information on these pages can be directed to Queensland Health’s Care at the End of Life Project.