Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

A voluntary process of discussion and review to help an individual who has capacity to anticipate how their condition may affect them in the future and, if they wish, set on record choices or decisions relating to their care and treatment so that these can then be referred to by their carers (whether professional or family carers) in the event that they lose capacity to decide once their illness progresses.

Under the terms of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 formalised outcomes of advance care planning might include one or more of the following:

- advance statements to inform subsequent best interests decisions
- advance decisions to refuse treatment which are legally binding if valid and applicable to the circumstances at hand
- appointment of Lasting Powers of Attorney (‘health and welfare’ and/or ‘property and affairs’)