An Advance Medical Directive (sometimes called a “living will”) is a written document that records your preferences for medical treatment if, in the future, you are unable to communicate or make decisions for yourself. It typically focuses on end‑of‑life care and may address specific interventions such as resuscitation (CPR) and life support.

An Advance Medical Directive can provide clarity and guidance to your loved ones during an emotionally stressful time. It may also reduce pressure on family members and help prevent potential conflict that can arise between family members.

It also guides your doctors and other healthcare professionals by clearly stating which treatments you do or do not consent to. By setting out your wishes in advance, it can reduce uncertainty and disputes about treatment choices.

Ultimately, an Advance Medical Directive helps you retain control by ensuring your personal values and preferences are known and respected, even if you can no longer speak for yourself.

At Transitus Legal, we believe good planning is only the first step.

It is equally important to ensure your Advance Medical Directive can be easily accessed when it is needed.

Who should know about your Advance Medical Directive?

To be effective, the right people need to know that your Advance Medical Directive exists and they need to be able to access it quickly. As a starting point, consider telling (and usually providing a copy to):

• Your Enduring Guardian and any substitute guardians – they may need to rely on it when making health and lifestyle decisions. Provide a copy and confirm they know where the original is kept.
• Your GP – often he first point of contact in a medical situation. Ask for it to be place on your medical file.
• Your regular treating specialists – they may need to rely on it as they make or influence treatment decisions. Provide a copy for their records.
• Your preferred or Local Hospital – to have it accessible during an emergency admission. Ask if it can be added to your patient records.
• A trusted family member or support person – they may need to locate it quickly. Tell them where it is stored (and consider providing a copy).

Where should you keep your Advance Medical Directive?

At Transitus Legal, we always recommend you keep –

Original – in a safe but accessible place at home, clearly labelled, with your other estate planning documents. Avoid storing it somewhere difficult to access in an emergency (for example, a locked safe no one else can open). We can store your original document with your other estate planning documents in our fire-proof safe.

Hard Copies – provided to the relevant people above.

Digital Copies – keep a scanned PDF in a secure digital location.

In Case of Emergency – consider having a note in your wallet or on your phone’s Medical ID stating an Advance Medical Directive exists and where it can be found.

We can also offer access to a Living Register and Documents Vault: a secure digital home for your Advance Medical Directive, partnered through billWill. Let us know if you would like to set up an account.

Advance care planning works best when it forms part of a broader plan (often alongside an Enduring Guardianship). It’s also wise to review your directive periodically and update it if your circumstances or preferences change.

If you are looking to start, or update, your estate planning contact our team for more information.