The Universal Care Plan (UCP) is London’s shared digital care plan, visible in real time to London Ambulance Service, GPs, community teams, out-of-hours services and A&E. When completed well, patients’ wishes are known when it matters most.

HPAL, the palliative care information site for West and North London, has published a concise summary of the key clinical points on the UCP, designed for quick reference in general practice.

The summary covers:

• who would benefit from a UCP
• how to access it from EMIS and SystmOne
• the minimum information that should be recorded
• consent requirements 
• when to update.

It also includes links to local services that support advance care planning, as well as a patient and carer page information page that can be shared.

Read the UCP summary on HPAL.

For questions about the UCP and future care planning, contact Thea Cook, Future Care Planning Champion, Harlington Hospice and Michael Sobell House.