Understanding an Advance Statement

An Advance Statement provides a space for you to write down anything that’s important to you in relation to your health and wellbeing. For example, you can use it to explain how you’d like to be cared for or to detail any values or beliefs that inform the decisions you make. It gives those around you, such as your family, carers, and healthcare team, a clear idea of what you want if you can’t communicate this yourself.

An Advance Statement helps to make sure that, if you lack capacity to make and communicate a decision, your wishes are known and can be followed. It helps the people involved in your care to understand your wishes if you can’t make decisions for yourself.

You can find out more about a Advance Statement on the Compassion in Dying Website.