In last week’s post, an overview
of Advanced Health Directives (AHDs) was provided.
As mentioned in that post, there are
a number of significant practical difficulties with AHDs, and in summary, the
main issues in this regard include:
1. The person making
the AHD tends to want to be able to have a ‘turn off the switch’ type provision
(or perhaps even euthanasia). No AHD allows this. Unless the donor
has specific religious or personal objectives, many of the questions are
somewhat irrelevant.
2. The attitude of a
donor when signing the AHD is not necessarily any indication of their attitude
in say, ten years time, when the issue arises. Anecdotally many doctors
are unwilling to rely on a document from years earlier in the heat of the
moment (even if they find that document on an urgent basis).
3. As the document
needs to be completed with a GP it is unlikely that the GP is actually going to
be involved in any sort of emergency situation in any event – again, another
reason why the doctor actually performing the medical treatment etc, would be
very unlikely to either try and find the AHD or even if it is found, look to
rely on it.
4. In contrast,
doctors will generally place significant weight on whoever is appointed as the
enduring power of attorney. If that enduring power of attorney is also a
next of kin and if there is no hint of any dispute in the immediate family
group, then the wishes of the person seeking medical treatment will generally
be respected.
In next week’s post, there will
be links provided to the relevant government websites for AHDs in every
Australian State.
Until next week.
