Difficult Conversations guide for heart failure

NCPC has previously produced a series of guides, entitled ‘Difficult Conversations‘, which aim to help anyone caring for someone with specific conditions to start conversations about end of life wishes and preferences. There are currently three titles in the series:

• Difficult Conversations for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary  Disorder) 
• Difficult Conversations for dementia
• Difficult Conversations for MND (Motor Neurone Disease).

Now the NCPC have been commissioned by the British Heart Foundation to produce a ‘Difficult Conversations’ guide for heart failure. The short guide will share down to earth, practical insights into different ways of approaching the subject, shared by people with personal experience of heart failure.

The aim of the guide is help people understand:

• what it’s like to live with heart failure
• whether it’s helpful to discuss the future and end of life care, and if so, who with, how and when
• different ways of starting conversations
• the kinds of things that it can be helpful to discuss
• where they can go for more information or support.

NCPC would like to speak to patients, carers and former carers about their thoughts and experiences to help produce this guide. This would involve an informal conversation, which could take place by email, phone, face to face or by post.

For more information, please contact Jo Black, community involvement manager at NCPC, on 020 7697 1520 or J.Black@ncpc.org.uk There is also information on the NCPC website.