What is involved in being a designated healthcare representative?

As a designated healthcare representative, your role is to ensure the person’s advance healthcare directive is followed. The person can give you powers to:

• Interpret their wishes about healthcare and treatment
• Advise their doctor and healthcare professionals about their wishes
• Consent to healthcare and treatment on their behalf
• Refuse healthcare and treatment on their behalf, including life-sustaining treatment

You can only exercise your powers when the person lacks the capacity to make healthcare and treatment decisions. You cannot transfer any of your powers to another person.

You must make sure you keep a copy of the advance healthcare directive. You should give a copy of the directive to healthcare professionals whenneeded.

Healthcare professionals must talk to you if they are unsure whether an advance healthcare directive should be followed when providing care and treatment.

Codes of Practice

You must follow the Code of Practice at the link Code of Practice for designated healthcare representative. This has important information about your responsibilities as a designated healthcare representative.

You must also follow the Code of Practice at the link Code of Practice on supported decision-making and assessing capacity.

Click on the link to Find out more about the Codes of Practice.