About an advance healthcare directive
An advance healthcare directive is a legally recognised arrangement setting out your wishes about healthcare and medical treatment decisions in case you are unable to make these decisions at some time in the future.
In your advance healthcare directive, you can choose someone you know and trust as your designated healthcare representative. Their role is to make sure people are aware of and respect your advance healthcare directive.
Who can make an advance healthcare directive?
Any adult with capacity can make an advance healthcare directive.
If you are thinking about planning ahead, you should consider making both an advance healthcare directive and an enduring power of attorney (EPA). You can find out more about making an EPA at myepa.ie.
Before you begin
Making an advance healthcare directive is an important decision. Before you begin think about:
- What types of treatment would you wish to refuse?
- What are the specific circumstances you would wish to refuse that treatment?
- Is there any life sustaining treatment you would wish to refuse?
- Are there any treatments you would wish to request?
- Do you want to appoint a designated healthcare representative and who would they be?
- Which people, organisations or professionals might want to see a copy of your advance healthcare directive (for example, your family, your general practitioner, a residential care provider, your solicitor)?
Making an advance healthcare directive
To make an advance healthcare directive you must include your full name and the name of your designated healthcare representative, if you are appointing one.
You can then write down any treatments you wish to refuse and the circumstances in which this should apply. You can include refusals of life sustaining treatment. These must include both the types of life sustaining treatment you are refusing and the specific circumstances. You can find examples of these in our resources below.
You can also include requests for specific treatments. Requests for treatments are not legally binding. However, by including them you can make sure they are considered during any related decision-making process.
When you are happy with the decisions you have included in your advance healthcare directive you must sign it in front of two witnesses. Both witnesses must be over 18 and one must not be your immediate family member. If you are appointing a designated healthcare representative, they must also sign the advance healthcare directive in front of the two witnesses.
You can make your advance healthcare directive in any format, including audio or video formats. But you must produce a written version for you to sign and witness it.
After you make it
After you have signed and witnessed your advance healthcare directive, that’s it. You do not need to send it to the DSS or register it with us.
You should make copies of your advance healthcare directive and give it to your GP and other people who might need to know about it. Read more about who you need to tell if you make an advance healthcare directive here.
You should review your advance healthcare directive regularly and update it if your circumstances or preferences change.
Read more about changing your advance healthcare directive here.
Find out more
You can read more about making an advance healthcare directive in our guidance material, which can be found in our Resources section.
You can download a booklet and form at the links below.
- Advance Healthcare Directive Information Booklet
- Advance Healthcare Directive Form
You will find a wide range of explainer videos on our YouTube channel at the link Decision Support Service Information Videos