Advance care planning is important for patients, families and health professionals.
It involves you, your loved ones and health professionals talking about your values and the type of health care you would want to receive if you became seriously ill or injured and were unable to say what you want.
Ideally these conversations start when you are well and continue throughout your illness.
Your wishes should be documented to help your loved ones and health professionals when making decisions about your care when you are no longer able to do so.
You do not have to have a terminal illness to start talking with your loved ones and health professionals about your wishes. Like making a will and appointing a power of attorney or enduring power of attorney, advance care planning may simply be a part of planning for the future.
It has been shown that health outcomes for people and their families improve when they are able to talk through their concerns, decisions, preferences and choices with health professionals.
Currently, in NSW, there is not one particular form a person must use to write down their wishes. This is because there is no advance care planning legislation in NSW. When choosing a form, people should think about how well it meets their needs and purpose.
The Making an Advance Care Directive package includes an Advance Care Directive form to complete and an Information Booklet to help people complete their Advance Care Directive.