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Anyone in NSW has the right to have decisions about their treatment respected by clinicians. Instructions or directives about care can be made in advance, by a person talking, planning and sharing their wishes. These are formally known as Advance Care Directives but some health consumers might think of them as ‘living wills’.

Although any instructions (verbal, written) will be respected by health professionals, NSW Health has developed a form (template) suitable for use by health consumers.

The template is part of a new guide from NSW Health on Advance Care Directives. Called ‘Making an Advance Care Directive’, the first part of the booklet is dedicated to explaining health consumers about Advance Care Directives and introducing the template. The template is included as a fill-in-and-tear-off form at the rear of the booklet.

Click here to find Making an Advance Care Directive (2017) on the NSW Health website.

There are many resources available about making directives about care. NSW Health says “The intention of this ACD is to build on the current options as well as provide a guide and a better legal and clinical framework to some of these options“.

You can also read about Advance Care Directives on the NSW Guardian and Trustee website.