Information booklet
The My Wellbeing Plan is designed to support a person’s health and wellbeing when they are accessing Dorset HealthCare services.
We want to provide support that benefits safety and wellbeing in a meaningful way. To help us do this, it is really important that individuals, their loved ones and staff have the opportunity to work together to share their perspectives, feelings and ideas.
The My Wellbeing Plan brings all this expertise and information together in one place that is easy to access and update. It replaces traditional care plans and crisis plans.
What is My Wellbeing Plan?
The My Wellbeing Plan is a document that records and helps us to understand preferences, hopes and goals. It also identifies helpful tools, advice and actions and is designed to help us have conversations about health and wellbeing.
The plan provides an opportunity to share experiences, exploring what has happened and what is important. It shows some of the things we are working on, what helps and what doesn’t. Throughout the plan we ask for different perspectives. This helps us to develop a shared understanding and work together more effectively.
Who creates My Wellbeing Plan?
The My Wellbeing Plan should be created collaboratively between all those involved including the individual, carers and supporters, staff and other significant workers, individuals.
What does My Wellbeing Plan include?
What is happening?
This is an opportunity to look at what is or has been happening. Individuals, their loved ones and staff can share their experiences so that we have a better range of perspectives and can improve our shared understanding.
What is important?
When it comes to maintaining wellbeing, who matters and what matters? What makes us who we are and how we understand our sense of self? In this section we can think about people, values, relationships, interests and responsibilities.
My personal plan
Many people find identifying plans or goals helpful in their recovery. When thinking about personal plans it can be useful to explore health and wellbeing, relationships, family and friends.
Think about individual goals and aspirations. This may be reconnecting to things or starting something new. Consider personal strengths, skills and the resources that may be available.
When writing the plan, think about how it could it be broken down in to small achievable steps so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.
Clinical plans
These plans are collaborative and person centred. They focus predominantly on clinical interventions, which might include plans around talking therapy; prescribed medications; physical wellbeing and promoting rights.
Clinicians will consider a number of key areas including: occupational, social, environmental, cultural, spiritual, psychological factors, mental and physical health and preparing for discharge.
When I’m struggling?
Changes the individual may experience or that others may notice which could indicate they are struggling, not coping or becoming unwell.
When struggling people often experience changes to their thoughts, feelings and behaviour, for example difficulty concentrating, feeling unusually anxious and/or changes to sleep and appetite etc.
Changes may occur over days or weeks; everyone’s experiences are different. It can be useful to consider past changes and experiences.
It can also be helpful to think about ‘triggers’, things that are particularly difficult and stressful for the individual. These might be: events, anniversaries, and times of the year or specific situations.
What keeps me safe and well?
What kind of things supports the individual to keep safe and well? What do they identify, and what would others say or recognise as being helpful? It might be useful to create a list of these and the reasons why they help.
In this section we will also consider how people may spot the signs of a crisis and the actions we can take that will help in those situations. Similarly, we can record what isn’t helpful, to ensure the best support is provided.
It can be difficult to think about challenging times and crisis points, but it can be very helpful to think about safely managing them.
Advanced decisions and advanced statements of preferences and wishes
We recognise the value and importance of choice and having a voice in decisions about your care.
Completing and advanced decision or statement of preference of wishes may be helpful for people who are worried that they won’t be able to make decisions for themselves in the future.
An advanced decision is a decision made by a person after they have reached 18 and when they have capacity to do so, that if at a later time and in such circumstances as they may specify, a specified treatment is proposed to be carried out or continued by a person providing health care for them, and at that time they lack capacity to consent to the carrying out or continuation of the treatment, the specified treatment is not to be carried out or continued.
Advance decisions are legally binding as long as they are valid/applicable to the treatment in question. They can be verbal or written.
An advance decision is however not applicable to life sustaining treatment unless:
· it is in writing
· it is signed by person or by another in a person's presence and by a person's direction
· the signature is made or acknowledged by a person in the presence of a witness
· the witness signs it, or acknowledges his signature in a person's presence
· the decision is verified by a statement by a person to the effect that it is to apply to that treatment even if life is at risk.
Statement of Preferences and Wishes is a written statement by the person that conveys their preferences, wishes, beliefs and values regarding their future care.
The aim is to provide a guide to anyone who might have to make decisions in their best interest if they have lost the capacity to make decisions or to communicate them.
An advance statement can cover any aspect of the person's future health or social care including:
· how they want any religious or spiritual beliefs they hold to be reflected in their care
· where they would like to be cared for, for example at home or in a hospital, nursing home or hospice
· how they like to do things, for example if they prefer a shower
· instead of a bath, or like to sleep with the light on
· concerns about practical issues, for example who will look after their dog if they become ill
· An advance statement does not have to be signed and is not legally binding, but anyone who is making.
Statement of Preferences and Wishes is a written statement by the person that conveys their preferences, wishes, beliefs and values regarding their future care.
The aim is to provide a guide to anyone who might have to make decisions in their best interest if they have lost the capacity to make decisions or to communicate them.
An advance statement can cover any aspect of the person's future health or social care including:
· how they want any religious or spiritual beliefs they hold to be reflected in their care
· where they would like to be cared for, for example at home or in a hospital, nursing home or hospice
· how they like to do things, for example if they prefer a shower
· instead of a bath, or like to sleep with the light on
· concerns about practical issues, for example who will look after their dog if they become ill
· an advance statement does not have to be signed and is not legally binding, but anyone who is making.
The following websites may also be useful:
Dorset Mental Health Forum is a local peer-led charity that exists to improve the lives of everyone affected by mental illness by promoting
wellbeing and recovery.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health: CAMHS Dorset is a Dorset HealthCare information website.
Rethink is a national charity whose goal is a better life for everyone affected by mental illness.
Mind is a national charity that provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
Mencap is a national charity committed to changing the world for everyone with a learning disability.
Headway is a national charity focusing on improving life after brain injury.
Health and wellbeing
NHS Choices: Five Steps to Wellbeing. Evidence suggests there are five steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing.
Dorset Recovery Education Centre. Open access online resources and courses facilitating shared learning about mental health, wellbeing and self-management.
Rethink: Tools for Recovery – self management
REACH: Dorset Mental Health Forum Sports and Social Group
Medication
Dorset HealthCare pharmacy Information provides medication information and leaflets.
Advocacy
Dorset Mental Health Advocacy Service, including Independent Mental Health Act Advocacy (IMHA).
Dorset Advocacy provide independent advocates to help ensure that rights are upheld and peoples views, wishes and needs are heard,respected and acted upon.
Family, Friends and supporters
Carers Resource Information and Support (CRISP)
Dorset For You, local council information, advice and support for
carers.