Advance Decisions
Advance decisions have been allowed in Britain since the passing of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Essentially, they allow an individual to write down their wish to refuse life-sustaining treatment, so that if they are no longer able to communicate they can be assured that doctors and other medical staff know what their wishes are and that they are legally binding. Additionally, a person can also state in their advance decision what life-sustaining treatment they do wish for, although doctors do not ultimately have to respect that request.
Read more about this topic: Dignity In Dying
Famous quotes containing the words advance and/or decisions:
“Relying ... on the patronage of your good will, I advance with obedience to the work, ready to retire from it whenever you become sensible how much better choice it is in your power to make.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“Maturity involves being honest and true to oneself, making decisions based on a conscious internal process, assuming responsibility for one’s decisions, having healthy relationships with others and developing one’s own true gifts. It involves thinking about one’s environment and deciding what one will and won’t accept.”
—Mary Pipher (20th century)