Advance Directive

It’s important to plan for potential problems in the future, and one of the grimmest yet most important considerations involves what would happen if you were being kept alive through medical intervention and were unable to express your wishes regarding which treatments you would rather not undertake. While it may be unpleasant to consider, even less pleasant is the idea of conflicted loved ones being forced to make these decisions on your behalf, so it is to everyone’s advantage that you put your plans in place now.

This document is a free template for an advance directive, commonly known as a “Living Will”. Whilst an advance directive is not legally binding, in practice it will be taken into account by doctors when deciding on a course of treatment, and should be followed unless there is a good reason not to.

After you’ve downloaded the document, absolutely free of charge, you’ll need to clearly and specifically fill out every section and affix your signature with two witnesses present. Make sure that people are aware of the advance directive, and know where it is stored.

Due to differing legislation, this document is only applicable in Scotland. If you live in England or Wales, download our Advance Decision instead.