What a valid Advance Decision must include

It is advisable to include as much detail as possible in an Advance Decision. If you wish to refuse treatment that will keep you alive, your Advance Decision must meet the following criteria:

• It must be in writing. Your Advance Decision can be written by you or by someone else, and it also be can be written in your healthcare notes.
• It must be signed by you or by someone else who is described as acting on your behalf and who signed in your presence.
• It must also be witnessed by someone who is present when you make your signature or when a signature is made on your behalf.
• It must detail the exact treatment you want to refuse. It is not enough to just generally say that you do not want to be treated.
• It must detail the situations where refusing treatment should apply. A clear statement that the decision to refuse a specific treatment applies even if your life is at risk.