Think, discuss, talk and decide your future health care preferences

1. Think about your future health care preferences and who might make decisions on your behalf.
2. Discuss possible future health care situations with your doctor.
3. Talk about your future health care preferences with your family and friends.
4. Decide your future health care preferences and let your family and friends know.

Complete relevant advance care planning (ACP) documents

• You can appoint someone you trust to represent you for personal/health matters if you are unable to speak for yourself by completing an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) or Advance Health Directive (AHD).
• Record your views, wishes and preferences by completing an AHD and/or Statement of Choices (SoC).
• Keep your original documents.

What to do when you have completed your ACP documents

• Share COPIES of your advance care planning documents with anyone who may need to be involved in decisions about your future health care such as family members, close friends and your doctors.
• Send COPIES of completed AHD, EPOA, revocation documents, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) decisions and Statement of Choices document(s) to the Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning via:
  • Email: acp@health.qld.gov.au
  • Fax: 1300 008 227, or
  • Post: PO Box 2274, Runcorn 4113.

The Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning will review the document(s), and if they meet criteria, upload them to your secure Queensland Health electronic hospital record, making them easily accessible to authorised clinicians involved in your care when it is required. 

• You can also upload your documents to your My Health Record via the My Health Record website.

Remember:

• Review your advance care planning documents regularly.
• Advance care planning is entirely voluntary.
• You can change your mind and your written documents at any time while you can make decisions.
• Advance care planning documents will only be used if you are unable to make or communicate your decisions.

You can choose

As part of your advance care plan, you can choose to complete the following forms:

Advance Health Directive (AHD)

This is a legally binding document that can be used in certain circumstances to provide directions about future health care and to appoint an attorney for health matters. A Doctor or Nurse Practitioner is required to cpmplete the certificate stating you have capacity to make the document. To be complete, your AHD must be signed by you and your signature witnessed by an eligible witness (Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Declarations, Lawyer or Notary Public). You can read more and download the Advance Health Directive form online from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

A new AHD form has been approved for use in Queensland from 30 November 2020. Forms to be completed after 30 November 2020 - use the new AHD form.

If an AHD was made correctly using an older version of the form and it was valid, it will continue to be valid. For more information, please read these Frequently Asked Questions about the new AHD form and when you should use it.

Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA)

These documents allow you to legally appoint attorney(s) for health/personal and/or financial matters and set out terms for how and when the power operates. These documents must be signed by you and your signtaure witnessed by an eligible witness (Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Declarations, Lawyer or Notary Public). You can read more and download the Enduring Power of Attorney form online from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

A new EPOA form has been approved for use in Queensland from 30 November 2020. Forms to be completed after 30 November 2020 - use the new EPOA form.

If an EPOA was made correctly using an older version of the form and it was valid, it will continue to be valid. For more information, please read these Frequently Asked Questions about the new EPOA form and when you should use it.

Statement of Choices

This values-based form can be used to record views, wishes and preferences for health care. Its purpose is to guide (inform) those who need to make health care decisions on a person’s behalf if they are unable to make those decisions for themselves. It is not a legally binding document and does not provide consent in advance. This form must be signed by you (Form A) or a substitute decision-maker (Form B). A doctor signs and dates the form, but it does not require witnessing. Read more and download the Statement of Choices form.

Interpreter’s/Translator’s Statement form

A Form 7 Interpreter's/Translator's Statement should be used by an interpreter or translator who interprets or translates an Advance Health Directive (AHD) or an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) document. You can download the Interpreter's/Translator's Statement form form online from the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

The Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning is here to help

We can:

• post an advance care planning information pack to you
• give you information over the phone to answer your questions
• give contact details for someone in your area who may be able to meet with you to talk about your preferences and help you complete advance care planning documents
• add your completed advance care planning documents to your secure Queensland Health electronic hospital record so that your wishes are available if required. 

Contact

Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning
PO Box 2274, Runcorn Qld 4113
Phone: 1300 007 227
Fax: 1300 008 227
Email: acp@health.qld.gov.au