Assess

In order to best manage symptoms and improve patient care, full assessment is required. Various assessment tools are available and recommended for differing conditions.

Within GSF we recommend considering these in 4 categories of current and future clinical and personal needs ie:

1. current clinical needs: eg assessment of pain, depression etc
2. future clinical needs: consideration of likely needs in future, should the patients condition deteriorate, eg anticipatory prescribing, counter acting of opioid side effects etc
3. current personal needs: see below
4. future personal needs: these are assessed through advance care planning discussions using for example 'Thinking Ahead' document, best interest discussions, Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment etc

Optional assessment tools, to be used in differing circumstances include:

SCR 3, 4, 5, 6
PEPSI COLA alternatives - to be updated shortly
Geriatric depression scale - to be updated shortly
Doloplus for dementia - to be updated shortly
Abbey Pain Scale for dementia - to be updated shortly