PRPlayers

Empowering Healthcare Professionals to Navigate Sensitive Conversations

Challenge

In June 2014, the Court of Appeal ruled that the human rights of a terminally ill patient were violated when a Do Not Attempt CPR (DNACPR) notice was added to her records without prior consultation. This landmark case set a legal precedent, ensuring that patients must now be included in discussions around DNACPR decisions.

In response, University College London Hospital (UCLH) developed a one-day Talking DNACPR training course to help healthcare professionals navigate these sensitive and complex conversations with confidence, empathy, and legal understanding.

Solution

UCLH partnered with Professional Role Players (PRP) to deliver this training through Forum Theatre, a powerful, interactive learning method that enables participants to explore real-life scenarios in a dynamic and supportive environment.

PRP provided highly skilled role players experienced in portraying emotionally nuanced characters, allowing course delegates to:

• Direct the course scenarios, exploring a wide range of possible outcomes

• Develop a deeper understanding of sensitive communication

• Practice handling emotional responses with compassion

• Consolidate learning in a safe, reflective space

Results

The course received outstanding feedback, with delegates reporting:

• Increased confidence in holding end-of-life discussions

• A stronger appreciation for the multi-professional team approach

• Greater awareness of patient perspectives and the legal implications surrounding DNACPR decisions

The success of the training was further recognised when the course was shortlisted in the End of Life category of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) 2015 Patient Safety Awards - a prestigious annual event celebrating excellence in healthcare safety.