UK ADVANCE DIRECTIVE
My Living Will and Other Wishes
I, Mr. John Peter Smith, of 123 Main Street, London, England,
write this document as a directive regarding my health care.
The decisions set out in my living will apply, even if my
life is at risk as a result.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR HEALTH CARE
If I am incapable of making an informed decision regarding my health care,
I direct my health care providers to follow my instructions as set forth below.
1. If in the opinion of my doctors, my death from a terminal condition
is imminent and even if life-sustaining procedures are used there is no
reasonable expectation of my recovery:
(X)______ I direct that my life not be extended by life-sustaining procedures, including the administration of nutrition and hydration artificially.
2. If in the opinion of my doctors, I am in a persistent vegetative state,
that is, if I am not conscious and am not aware of my environment nor able
to interact with others, and there is no reasonable expectation of my recovery:
(X)______ I direct that my life be extended by life-sustaining procedures.
3. If in the opinion of my doctors, I have an end-stage condition, that is,
a condition caused by injury, disease, or illness, as a result of which I
have suffered severe and permanent deterioration indicated by incompetency
and complete physical dependency and for which, to a reasonable degree of
medical certainty, treatment of the irreversible condition would be medically ineffective:
(X)______ I direct that my life not be extended by life-sustaining procedures, except that if I am unable to take food and water by mouth, I wish to receive nutrition and hydration artificially.
Page 1 of 4
We have provided a sample first page of the Living Will. The final document will of course be many more pages and gives you an opportunity
to express the type of healthcare you wish to receive if you are unable to speak for yourself.
No two Living Wills are the same. The above image is simply a sample.
The Living Will is also known as an "Advance Directive". It is an expression ahead of time, of the type of treatments you wish to receive,
particularly if you are ever in an irreversible, terminal condition. It is often used together with a Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare (LPA – HW).
The LPA –HW can be created directly from the government website for free. But it must be registered with the government to be legally valid.