Advance care planning has long been promoted as key for optimal end of life decision-making. Part of this includes reflecting on goals of care and quality of life considerations, which may lead to decisions about what treatment a person regards as acceptable, and what treatment might want to be refused. This advance care planning can be formalised with documents such as advance health directives which take effect after a person has lost decision-making capacity.
Advance care planning also includes identifying a legal substitute decision-maker if a person loses decision-making capacity. Again, there are documents which facilitate the formal appointment of such decision-makers. This presentation will discuss the legal framework that supports advance care planning.
The final part of this presentation will consider an additional end of life choice that is, or will shortly be, lawful in all Australian states: voluntary assisted dying. While the decision to seek voluntary assisted dying cannot be made in advance and cannot be made by a substitute decision-maker, it is likely to be raised by some patients in these wider discussions about end of life decision-making. This can add complexity because there are legal requirements in relation to raising or discussing this issue and because the process of seeking voluntary assisted dying is new and requires support to navigate.