Start with what makes a good day
Planning can begin with values and important people before moving to forms. You can do it gradually and change your mind.
A values-first planning note
Use the person’s own words and review it after a major health change.
- Write what comfort, independence and dignity mean to you.
- Name the people you want involved and what role you want each to have.
- Record preferences about information, treatment discussion and places of care.
- Include pets, dependants, beliefs, culture and communication needs.
- Organise key contacts and practical account information securely.
- Ask which legal documents and terms apply in your nation.
- Share authorised copies and set a date to review them.
Questions for advance-care planning
Ask what is legally binding and what records a preference.
- Which advance-care documents apply in my UK nation?
- How can I appoint somebody to speak or decide if I cannot?
- Where should copies be stored and shared?
- What does a DNACPR decision cover, and what does it not cover?
- How often should the plan be reviewed?
Open the door without predicting the future
Planning can be useful before a crisis.
“I am not saying I expect this now. I want you to understand what matters to me if my health changes.”
“Could we start an advance-care conversation and explain the forms and legal terms used here?”
Turn values into information other people can use
Planning ahead is not one document or one prediction. It is a set of conversations and records that help care reflect your wishes if circumstances change.
Begin with what matters: comfort, independence, place of care, people to involve, faith or cultural practices, responsibilities and treatments you would or would not consider. Then ask a clinician which decisions might realistically arise. Preferences can guide care but may not always be possible; understanding the clinical and practical limits makes the plan more useful.
Different records do different jobs. An advance statement describes wishes and preferences. A legally valid advance decision may refuse specified treatments in specified circumstances. A lasting power of attorney can appoint someone to make certain decisions if you lack capacity; Scotland and Northern Ireland use different legal frameworks and terms. A DNACPR recommendation concerns cardiopulmonary resuscitation, not all treatment or care. Get current nation-specific professional advice for legal documents.
Share the plan with the people and services likely to need it. A document hidden in a drawer cannot guide an ambulance crew or out-of-hours clinician. Keep copies, note where originals are, add emergency-care summaries where available and review after a major change in health, treatment, relationships or address. You can change your mind while you have capacity.
A practical way through it
Use the parts that fit your situation and leave the rest.
- Start with values, not formsWrite what a good day means, what abilities are especially important and what burdens you would find hard to accept. Use this to guide specific clinical questions.
- Ask what decisions are foreseeableDiscuss likely emergencies, treatment choices and how quickly they might arise. Ask how benefits and burdens could change if health worsens.
- Choose the correct recordAsk a qualified professional to explain advance statements, treatment refusals, powers of attorney and emergency-care plans in your nation. Do not assume one form covers everything.
- Name the people to involveTalk with anyone you may appoint or ask clinicians to contact. Check they understand your values and are willing to take the role; avoid giving them only a list of isolated instructions.
- Make the plan findableGive copies to the GP and relevant team, tell family where records are, and carry or display any locally recommended emergency information. Confirm it has been added to the record.
- Review and reviseSet a review after treatment changes or at a sensible interval. Date updates, withdraw obsolete copies and tell everyone holding the old version.
What this can look like
When family disagree about what you would want
Two relatives remember different conversations and a future emergency could force a rapid decision.
Reduce the ambiguity now
Ask the GP, specialist nurse or palliative team to facilitate a conversation focused on your wishes.
Record specific preferences using the correct legal or clinical document for your nation.
Distribute the current version and explain who has formal decision-making authority, if anyone.
Begin with what matters
- Think about priorities, who should be involved, places of care, beliefs, comfort, pets and dependants.
- Include practical matters such as key contacts, digital accounts and an emergency plan.
- Choose what you want to discuss now and what can wait.
Keep expectations honest
- A plan helps guide care but cannot guarantee a particular place or outcome.
- A DNACPR decision concerns cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It does not mean that all other treatment or care stops.
- You can change your mind and review plans while you still have capacity to do so.
A manageable next step
What you could do now
- Choose one person you want involved in future decisions.
- Ask your GP, cancer team or palliative-care team which local forms and terms apply.
- Start with a short list of what makes a good day and what matters most.
Checked sources
Read the original guidance
We summarise carefully and link to the source so you can check the full, most current information. Sources were checked 9 September 2026.