IHF chairperson Jean McKiernan said: “We believe that advance care planning (ACP) and more specifically advance healthcare directive (ACD) comprise an important component of the quality of care that can assist people approaching end-of-life to live well until they die.”
The Oireachtas passed the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 in December 2015.
Under the provision of this legislation, an adult can make a legally binding statements (ACD) refusing any for of treatment including life-sustaining treatments, if they lose capacity sometime in the future and they are unable to make treatment decisions for themselves.
Ms McKiernan said: “We look forward to the implementation of this legislation and the positive impact it will have on many people living and dying in Ireland.”
She said the paper – A Perspective on Advance Planning for end-of-life – is presented to inform debate in Ireland.
“We understand the uncertainties surrounding advance care planning but also know of the growing support for dedicated efforts to support and enhance our approach toward advance healthcare planning.
“As a leader of debate on dying death and bereavement in Ireland, we feel it is important to prompt debate on relevant areas and provide balanced input into these debates. We hope this paper does this.”
A copy of the perspective which is the fourth in the IHF Perspectives Series is available here:
Hospice Foundation actively supports the notion of advance planning for end-of-life as an important personal decision and a key aspect of public policy.
A section providing for a valid Advance Healthcare Directive is contained in the Think Ahead Form – see www.thinkahead.ie
The paper explores contemporary developments concerning the concept and practice of advance planning. A range of pertinent issues are discussed including the terminology and scope of advance planning; ethical legal and policy context of advance healthcare directive in Ireland.
it explores the rationale for engaging in advance healthcare directives and barriers to and drivers of advance planning.
To view the report Click HERE
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