The consideration of all of the above forms the holistic assessment which may influence the success of Bill’s discharge.
Additional information/Rationale
- Background information
Assessment of background information is important and may include the appraisal of events which contributed to Bill’s hospital admission. Information relating to discontinued and/or new medications may also be helpful. - Physical wellbeing
Assessment of physical wellbeing is important and may include the appraisal of condition specific signs, symptoms, functional ability, overall frailty, medication and future treatment options. - Social and occupational wellbeing
Assessment of social and occupational wellbeing is important and may include the appraisal of family, friends and professional support. Appraisal of practical and functional ability will inform occupational aspects. - Emotional and psychological wellbeing
Assessment of emotional and psychological wellbeing is important and may include appraisal of the following: anxiety, depression, cognitive ability, coping strategies and Bill’s understanding of his situation and how this makes him feel. - Spiritual wellbeing
Assessment of spiritual wellbeing is important and may include the appraisal of the following: who is important to Bill, what is important to Bill, how Bill’s life may have changed as a consequence of living with a serious illness, the impact on Bill, his family and friends, and Bill’s perception of the future
Pulse point
Holistic common assessment is essential for implementing a supportive and palliative care approach. It highlights five domains for holistic common assessment and sets out the content within each of these. It sets out the main features of the process – including the who, when, where and how – of holistic common assessment.
The holistic common assessment is divided into five ‘domains’:
- Background information and assessment preferences
- Physical needs
- Social and occupational needs
- Psychological well-being
- Spiritual well-being and life goals
The assessment at each key point should cover all of these domains, however as the person moves along the supportive palliative pathway, the depth to which each of the domains is covered may change depending on individual circumstance – for example occupational needs may become less relevant and spiritual needs more so. Assessment within each domain should be ‘concerns–led’, focusing upon items of particular concern to the individual. The order of domains within an assessment ‘session’ is important. Some domains, such as psychological well-being and spiritual well-being and life goals, require a degree of trust and understanding between the assessor and the individual. These should usually be addressed towards the end of the assessment, once a rapport has been established.
Page last reviewed: 28 Jul 2020
