An Advanced Health Directive is a document that states a woman’s wishes or directions regarding her future health care. It can be used to cover matters such as consent to future health treatment and the circumstances in which she does or doesn’t want to have life-sustaining measures. The Advanced Health Directive only comes into effect when a woman is no longer capable of making decisions for herself.
It can be helpful for a woman to discuss with her partner, family/close friend and doctor whether or not she wishes to be kept alive by artificial means, or resuscitated if she stops breathing.
Requirements for an Advanced Health Directive may differ by state or territory. An Advanced Health Directive doesn’t replace a protected or enduring Power of Attorney, which enables the holder to manage a woman’s personal or business affairs when she can no longer do so.
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Tips for writing an Advanced Health Directive
- Talk to a doctor about what you want and how to write an Advanced Health Directive.
- Decisions in your Advanced Health Directive should be about specific situations rather than a general, ‘do not resuscitate’ statement. Discuss the nature of life-saving treatments and their end results with your doctor so that you are fully informed before you make any decisions.
- A solicitor can prepare an Advanced Health Directive or a standard form can be purchased from a newsagent.
- In some states the document must be signed in the presence of your doctor or the doctor has to provide a certificate to say that you have the necessary decision-making capacity at the time of making the directive.
- A copy of the Advanced Health Directive should be held in your medical file and given to your treatment team. The file should also be marked to indicate that it contains an Advanced Health Directive.
- Plan to review any decisions at regular intervals, but particularly if your health changes significantly.
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