Advance Care Directive

An ACD is a free legal document that helps communicate your future healthcare wishes, or those of the person you care for. It outlines what matters most to you – including the treatments you would or wouldn’t want – so that health professionals can make decisions that respect your values and preferences.

It must also be made by you or the person you care for freely and voluntarily, be written in English, and be witnessed. An ACD only comes into effect when a person with a life-limiting illness loses the ability to make decisions, either permanently or temporarily, due to illness, injury, or disability. Registering an ACD makes it easier for doctors and other health professionals to access it if you’re unable to provide them with a copy

Advance Care Directive Checklist (ACD)

• Keep the original ACD at home where it can be easily found.
• Make copies and give them to family, carers, and others involved in the health care or treatment.
• Give a copy to paramedics if an ambulance is called.
• Register a copy with TASCAT.
• Upload a copy to My Health Record through www.myrecord. ehealth.gov.au
• Review the ACD if there have been changes in health, condition or family/social circumstances.

An ACD cannot be changed or amended once it has been made. However, it can be cancelled, and a new one can be made, as long as there is still decision-making ability.