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Advance decision
Advance directive, living will
An advance decision is a refusal of a specific treatment, made by an adult with capacity, to apply if they later lose it.
Summary
- A valid and applicable advance decision is legally binding in England and Wales under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
- A refusal of life sustaining treatment must be in writing, signed and witnessed, and must say that it applies even if life is at risk.
- It can refuse a treatment but cannot demand one.
- It is also known as an advance directive or a living will.
Interview questions
- An unconscious patient arrives with a written advance decision refusing ventilation. What do you do?
- What is the difference between an advance decision and an advance statement?
- Should a decision made years ago bind doctors today?
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
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More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.