Advance Health Directives
What is an Advanced Health Directive?
An Advanced Health Directive is a document that states your wishes or directions regarding your future health care for various medical conditions. It comes into effect only if you are unable to make your own decisions.
You may wish your directive to apply at any time when you are unable to decide for yourself, or you may want it to apply only if you are terminally ill.
The purpose of an Advance Health directive is to give you confidence that your wishes regarding health care will be carried out if you cannot speak for yourself.
"A good example of this is where someone does not wish to have certain treatment due to strong opinion on the subject or religious beliefs (certain religions forbid blood transfusions). You can specify whether or not you are to be resuscitated in certain circumstances and also give instructions to your family regarding life support and other issues".
Euthanasia Requests Illegal
An Advance Health Directive cannot be used to specify euthanasia or that you wish to be euthanized in certain circumstances. In most states it is a criminal offence to assist another person to commit suicide and consequently any provision providing for euthanasia would be illegal.
For any enquiries regarding Advanced Health Directives, please contact the Department Manager Lesley Barnes, on direct line (07) 5506 8241 or 1800 621 071 or by email on lbarnes@attwoodmarshall.com.au.
With three offices conveniently located at Robina, Coolangatta - Tweed and Kingscliff, you can also visit us an office near you.
Downloadable PDF Brochures:
- Creating a Life Interest or Right to Occupy
- Disadvantages of 'DIY' Will Kit
- Estate Planning and your Business
- NSW Enduring Powers of Attorney and Appointments of Enduring Guardian
- QLD Enduring Powers of Attorney
- Testamentary Trust Wills
Attwood Marshall Lawyers
Northern NSW & Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast Estate Planning, Estate Plan, Will Planning, Advance Health Directives