End of Life Care | Advance care planning | Advance decisions to refuse treatment: principles

Advance decisions to refuse treatment: principles
Session overview
Description
This session focuses on principles of good practice which underpin the appropriate and valid use of Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment (ADRT), within an end of life care context.

This session was reviewed by Fiona Rawlinson and Sarah Hanrott and last updated in January 2023.

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• discuss why patients may choose to develop an ADRT
• describe principles of good practice which enable the appropriate and valid use of an ADRT in end of life care
• analyse the patient benefits and safeguards associated with implementation of an ADRT
• identify the role and boundaries of healthcare professionals participating in developing and reviewing an ADRT

Before commencing this session you should complete:

• Introduction to principles of ACP (215-0101)

The introduction of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 created the opportunity for patients, with the appropriate support, to develop an advance decision to refuse treatment.

From time to time healthcare professionals may be asked by patients about future treatment options. These discussions may involve reviewing an existing ADRT or a request by the patient to develop an advance statement.

This session primarily focuses on the principles of good practice which support the appropriate and valid introduction of an ADRT.