This echoed the general recommendation in the patient experience guideline to allow adequate time so that discussions do not feel rushed (section 1.3). Building on this, the committee recommended an extended first consultation followed by a prompt (usually within 2 weeks) follow-up appointment with any member of the specialist multidisciplinary team. The committee considered a 2 week gap between the first and second appointment as reasonable and reflected usual practice whilst acknowledging this may not always be possible or appropriate in all situations. To foster continuity of care and building of the future ongoing Chronic Heart Failure Domiciliary oxygen therapy in people with advanced heart failure NICE 2018. All rights reserved. Subject to Notice of rights. ISBN: 978-1-4731-3093-7 relationship, the committee recommended that the patient would be told who they would see at their next consultation (a member of the specialist heart failure multidisciplinary team) and explained what they can expect to happen. The committee also discussed the importance of having family members/carers involved in communication from an early stage as receiving bad news in the form of the diagnosis of heart failure can be overwhelming for the patient. Carers may also be better able to take on board information provided regarding ongoing care and management than the patient who has just been given a diagnosis. Additionally, family members and carers often struggle with how best to help when the patient has conveyed information poorly or partially to them. For this reason, the inclusion of a family member or carer in one or more consultations will improve the understanding of the condition and the potential support provided to the patient. The committee acknowledged that this was covered by the patient experience guideline (particularly section 1.3) and agreed to include a cross reference to that guidance in their recommendations. 