1000-plus now trained to talk serious illness

The Commission’s advance care planning team is happy to announce that more than 1000 people have attended the Serious Illness Conversation Guide (SICG) three-hour workshops being delivered in district health boards. The guide is a set of structured questions to help clinicians, who do not come from a palliative care background, have conversations with seriously ill people and their whānau about what is most important to them if time were limited and/or their functional abilities were to change. The SICG training forms part of the Commission’s serious illness conversation programme and supports clinicians to be more confident using the guide.

‘I am more confident in having those hard conversations, the guide provides a very helpful tool.’

‘I have more insight into my responses into patients in distress and how sticking to the guide helps minimise this. It will give me greater insights into my patients,’ respondents have said.

To find out more about the guide visit: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-work/advance-care-planning/acp-information-for-clinicians/what-clinicians-can-do/serious-illness-conversations/  

Find out about training at your local DHB here https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-work/advance-care-planning/acp-information-for-consumers/who-can-i-contact-in-my-area/