Demand for Living Wills trebles in the last two years

Research from leading wealth management lawyers, Moore Blatch, has revealed that demand for Living Wills (Advance Directives) has trebled in the last two years, indicating an increase in the number of people concerned about the way in which their terminal illness will be managed.

The research comes to light following a recent ruling by the General Medical Council (GMC) warning doctors that, legally, they cannot ignore the wishes of dying patients who do not want their lives prolonged.

With the new ruling, medics must follow what is commonly referred to as either a ‘Living Will’ or ‘Advance Directive’, in which a patient has decided at an earlier stage in their life what care they would consent to or refuse if they were no longer capable of making or communicating a treatment decision. This could mean refusal of any medical or surgical treatment if its burdens and risks outweigh its potential benefits, starting or continuing any life-extending treatment, including artificially providing patients with food and water.

Moore Blatch says that a Living Will can be tailored according to each individual, and the cost for a basic Living Will starts at £100.

Typically, a Living Will might include:

I wish these instructions to be acted upon if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion that I am no longer capable of making and communicating a treatment decision and that I am:

• Unconscious, and unlikely to ever regain consciousness;
• Suffering from an incurable or irreversible condition that will result in my death within a relatively short time; or
• So severely disabled, physically or mentally, that I shall be totally dependent on others for the rest of my life.

David Charlesworth, head of Wealth Management at Moore Blatch comments; “We have seen the popularity of Living wills rise at a significant rate over the past couple of years.  We attribute this partly to the fact that, when executed in accordance with the new GMC rules, a Living Will allows patients to dictate how their end-of-life care is to be managed, ensuring that they die with dignity.  However, we would always recommend that individuals seek guidance from a recommended lawyer when drawing up a living Will.”