Living well discussions advance directives

GPs develop ongoing and trusted relationships with their patients and are well positioned to initiate and promote Advance Care Planning (ACP)and to encourage patients to appoint:

A medical treatment decision maker (a person who has legal authority to make medical treatment decisions, including procedures provided by dental and allied health practitioners, if the patient is unable to do so in the future)

or

A medical support person (a support person can support the patient to make, communicate and give effect to your medical treatment decisions)

and

An enduring power of attorney (who will make important financial and personal decisions for the patient, such as living location, or what happens to the patients house, if you are unable to do so in the future).
See the “Take Control” book for an easy to read guide to the variety of substitute decision making and the associated forms at
https://www.publicadvocate.vic.gov.au/resources/booklets/advance-planning-booklets/474-take-control-1/file

The goal of Living Well Discussions is to elicit the patient's perspective regarding how they want to spend their remaining time. Treatment decisions can then be discussed within this broader context of patient goals and hopes. Treatments become tools for achieving patient goals.

The locally developed Palliative care booklet provides further information and notes on the Living Well Discussion (Advance Care Directives) with patients.

Palliation from the Doctor’s Bag PDF