Deciding right Regional Forms

These forms and associated guidance are for use by professionals working with patients who are making advance care decisions. They are recognised by organisations across the region and should be used in all instances of advance care planning locally.  The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) will only accept the Deciding right forms. This page has the most recent forms. Older versions of the DNACPR form will no longer be acceptable after 31st December 2018, please use the most recent versions on this page for all new cases. Forms can be printed and completed manually or there is an electronic version that can be completed on screen.

Mental Capacity Act

For individuals who lack capacity to engage independently in the completion of an Advance Statement or Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (ADRT) conversations are necessary regarding any known preferences and wishes and estimating what the person would want should be discussed between their relatives, carers and health professionals.  This should be done via the best decision making process in line with MCA 2005.  The agreed information should then be documented in a clear format and supported by MCA best interest decision making documentation.

The MCA1 part of this form allows a capacity assessment to be documented.  If the individual does not have capacity for a specific care decision, the MCA2 part of the form follows the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act best interests process.

Download the MCA-1and2-generic-v15 (updated link) – a Word document: printable and e-fillable on screen.

Use this document to record additional information to support the Mental Capacity Assessment and the Best Interest Decision Making process.  Individual organisation logos can be added.

Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) – latest developments

In July 2018 the Government published a Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill which passed into law in May 2019.  It replaces the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) with a scheme known as the Liberty Protection Safeguards.  Government are aiming for full implementation April 2022.  Further updates will be provided when we are made aware of them.  More information and key features of this can be found via the following link

COVID19 MCA/DoLS Guidance (7 September 2020)

The Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had additional guidance added.  This update to the guidance does not change the current COVID-19 DoLS process and LA Best Interest Assessors and Section 12 Doctors will continue to assess remotely.  It does reflect the need for MCA 1 assessment and MCA 2 best interest decision making on behalf of those patients who are assessed not to have capacity to consent to elective surgery and other procedures.  This publication is available via the following link

Advance care planning decisions: using the right form

Click on the image above to get a copy of the poster.

Do Not Attempt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation: DNACPR

This documents the decision not to offer cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest.  It also documents the reason for the decision and other details and is concordant with the Mental Capacity Act.  This regional form applies across all care settings and in all ages.  Please make sure that the patient held form is printed in colour.

Download the DNACPR NHS Print form v17a 2018

Download the DNACPR COPY form v17a 2018

Download the DNACPR-NHS-Fillable-form-v17

Ordering of DNACPR forms

DNACPR Ordering information Dec 2018

Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (ADRT)

This documents an adult patient’s decision to refuse a specific treatment.  It complies with requirements when refusing life-sustaining treatment and applies in all settings for people aged 18 years and over.

Download the ADRT PRINT form

Download the ADRT ON-SCREEN fillable

Download the Advance Decisions Checklist

Emergency Health Care Plan (EHCP)

This documents the care needed during and after an anticipated emergency.  These decisions will have been made with the individual if they have capacity If they do not have capacity by the best interest process, the person with parental responsibility or a court order.  It does not include a CPR decision.  It applies in all settings and all ages.

Download the EHCP NHS Fillable form (v15 May 2021)

Download the EHCP NHS Printable only form (v15 April 2021)

Download the EHCP NHS Instructional Template (v15 April 2021)

Download the EHCP Advice sheet Nov 2018

Download the EHCP Useful Phrases

Download the Professional Guidance

Download the Patient Carer Information Leaflet

More Deciding right information for patients and the public can be found here

Easy Read EHCP Patient / Carer information

This EASY READ guide was co-produced by Inclusion North’s Stop People Dying Too Young Group, the North East and North Cumbria Learning Disability Network, the NHS North East and North Cumbria Clinical Networks and the Integrated Care System. Together they have developed information that is easy to understand about Emergency Health Care Plans. There are 3 stories about people who each have an Emergency Health Care Plan. The stories have been created using Widget Communication in Print symbols.

Sarah’s EHCP EASY READ Story

Paul’s EHCP EASY READ Story

Bob’s EHCP EASY READ Story

Coproduction work between NENC Palliative and End of Life Care Group, NENC Learning Disability Network, Inclusion North and the Stop Dying Too Young Group – the group of experts by experience provided consultation and ideas over a 6 month project which led to the production of easy read, accessible information for Emergency Health Care Plans.  This film supports the written information and provides information for patients and carers.

Advance Statement (March 2019)

The Northern England Clinical Networks Advance Statement (March 2019)

The Department of Health is encouraging people, especially those with a life limiting condition, to have the opportunity to discuss their personal preferences and choices around their future care.  These discussions will take place with professionals who can support them and this may also include family and carers.  These discussions can then be recorded in an Advance Statement.  This can enable services to be aware of the individual’s wishes if unable to communicate themselves.  The document can be printed from the link below and completed with a patient or completed from the link below as a fillable document and then printed out and left with the patient.

Network Advance Statement fillable FINAL1

Network Advance Statement Printable FINAL

Advance Statement Information for patients, relatives and carers

An example of an Advance Statement Completed Document can be found here

There may be occasions when the above Advance Statement documents may not be appropriate to meet the person’s needs.  The following links will take you to some alternatives for which the Northern England Clinical Networks have sought permission from the relevant organisations.

Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust have produced an easy read patient information leaflet entitled Advance Decisions and Advance Statements: Making choices about your care and treatment, a copy of which can be found here

Sunderland Learning Disability Services have worked closely with colleagues in palliative care to make sure they share the knowledge and experience…developing information that is easy to understand about becoming poorly and maybe reaching the end of your life.  They have also developed what they call My End of Life Booklet.  Its a good idea to fill this in when you are well so that in the future people who love and care for you will know what you wanted when you are no longer there.  Please follow this link for their information on reaching the end of life.  This is excellent information for people with learning disabilities, their families and all carers.  There are three further leaflets available and also a word bank that aims to explain complicated words

North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) Special Patient Note (SPN) Form Version 3 (March 2022)

NEAS can apply a flag to the patients address to advise call handlers of any decisions identified on the SPN form.  The information on the SPN form will support the decision making by NEAS and help the clinicians to prioritise if an ambulance is required.  If an ambulance crew attends the address, they will be notified of the SPN whilst on route to the address.

As from March 2022 please use the SPN form version 3 which must be completed electronically and sent via email to special.patient.notes@nhs.net 

Examples of completed Deciding right Forms

Heart Failure

DNACPRv17 Document

ADRT Document

EHCP Document

Muscular Dystrophy

DNACPRv17 Document

ADRT Document

EHCP Document