Record your choices in Queensland

Record your wishes and preferences

There are several ways a person with decision-making capacity can record their health care choices and preferences for care in Queensland.

You can choose to:

• complete an Advance Health Directive
• complete a Statement of Choices.

An Advance Health Directive is a legal document that allows you to give directions about your future health care and special health care. You can also use this form to appoint an attorney for health matters.

An Interpreter statement form [PDF 110 KB] is used by an interpreter or translator who interprets or translates an Advance Health Directive. This form must be attached to the document to which it applies.

The Advance health directive explanatory guide will help you decide on what to include in your document.

In Queensland, medical treatment includes treatment for physical and mental health conditions. If you’d only like to document your preferences for mental health treatment, you can complete an Advance Health Directive for Mental Health.

Read more about Advance Health Directives for Mental Health on the Queensland Government website.

A Statement of Choices is a values based document that allows you to record your wishes and preferences for health care. It guides or informs the people who may need to make health care decisions for you if you're unable to make those decisions for yourself.

The Statement of Choices isn’t a legally binding document. It doesn't provide consent to, or refusal of treatment.

The Paediatric Statement of Choices is a values based document used to record a child or young person’s views, wishes and preferences for their health care.It guides and informs those who need to make health care decisions when a child or young person is unable to make those decisions for themselves. It isn’t legally binding and doesn’t provide consent to health care in advance. The interactive version of the form allows for the information to be completed digitally.

Learn more about expressing your values and preferences or making specific instructions.

Appoint a substitute decision-maker

In Queensland, there are a number of options to legally appoint one or more attorneys to be substitute decision-makers. Substitute decision-makers can make decisions on your behalf if you aren’t able to.

• You can appoint different attorneys to different roles.
• Your attorneys can consent to or refuse treatment on your behalf.
• If you wish to appoint someone to care for personal (including health) matters and/or financial matters, use Enduring Power of Attorney forms.
• If you wish to appoint an attorney for health matters only you can do so in an Advance Health Directive.

The Enduring power of attorney - explanatory guide and frequently asked questions can help you decide on the right form to use.

An Interpreter statement form [PDF 110 KB] iis used by an interpreter or translator who interprets or translates an Enduring Power of Attorney. This form must be attached to the document to which it applies.

For more information about substitute decision-makers, read about choosing someone to speak for you.

Storing and sharing your documents

In Queensland you can share copies of your Advance Care Planning documents with the Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning.

The Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning will review the documents they receive. If they are complete, they'll upload them to your Queensland Health hospital record (the ACP Tracker in The Viewer). This provides direct, real-time access for clinicians to your ACP documents to guide care decisions. The Viewer is accessible to authorised Queensland Health clinical staff, including Queensland Ambulance Service, GPs and other authorised health professionals.

You can share copies of:

• Statement of Choices
• Advance Health Directive
• Enduring Power of attorney
• Revocation documents
• Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Orders.

Send copies to the Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning by:

• Fax: 1300 008 227
• Email: acp@health.qld.gov.au
• Post: PO Box 2274, Runcorn QLD 4113

Read our general recommendations about storing and sharing your documents.

Making changes to documents

In Queensland, you may revoke (cancel) your Advance Health Directive any time you have capacity to do so.

You don’t need to complete a specific form to cancel your advance health directive. However, any cancellation must be in writing, and you must take all reasonable steps to advise any appointed attorneys that it’s been cancelled. There are also other circumstances when your advance health directive my be revoked.  These are explained in the Advance health directive explanatory guide.

You may revoke (cancel) your Enduring Power of Attorney document any time you have capacity to do so.

You can use the Revocation of enduring Power of Attorney form [PDF 104 KB] to revoke your enduring power of attorney. You must take all reasonable steps to advise all of you attorneys that it's been revoked. There are also other circumstances when your enduring power of attorney may be revoked. These are explained in the Enduring power of attorney - explanatory guide.

Learn more about making changes to documents.

Options if a person has impaired decision-making capacity

In Queensland, if an adult has impaired decision-making capacity, their substitute decision-makers can complete a Statement of Choices Form B on their behalf. If the person doesn’t have  a legally appointed decision maker, it should be completed by someone who has a close and continuing relationship with them. It shouldn’t be completed by their health care provider.

Learn more about important information to consider when a person has impaired decision-making capacity.

The Paediatric Statement of Choices Form B is used by parents or guardians of a child or a young person requiring support with decision-making. It documents the child or young person’s wishes and preferences for their health care.

Learn more about the role of the substitute decision-maker when a person is unable to make or communicate decisions.