Living Will

A living Will can come in two formats, a legal document and a hospital record.  The legal document is the most powerful and is a deliberate act of leaving instructions to guide people as to the medical care that you want and do not want after you have lost the capacity to express your own wishes, more commonly used by people who have a terminal illness.  The hospital record is a tricky area that can cause issues.  If you are in hospital and are having an operation that requires anaesthetic, then it is usual for you to be asked what you would like to happen if things go wrong in the operation (they put it better than that but that is what they are saying).  You only get two choices do everything to save you for as long as possible or let you go.  If there is no other record Lasting Power of Attorney or legal Living Will then the hospital will follow this statement.  All well and good you think because you made the choice knowingly just before the operation but it stays on record so then next time you are in hospital it still applies.