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Health decisions in your hands
27 May 2009
Lower Hunter healthcare workers are embarking on a community education program to encourage people to plan for their future health care and let family and loved ones know their wishes.
The Advance Care Planning education program will be launched at Dungog Hospital at 1pm on Wednesday, 27 May 2009. It takes in the communities of Singleton, Dungog, Cessnock and Kurri Kurri, which make up Hunter New England Health’s Lower Hunter Cluster.
Hunter New England Health workers hope to talk with service clubs, community organisations and others as part of the education program.
Senior Nurse Manager at Cessnock District Hospital Jenny Whiting said it was important that people to talk with their health care providers, family members and other people in their lives about their health, and any choices they have made for their health care.
“Advance Care Planning is all about people making choices and making their wishes clear,” said Ms Whiting, who is also a member of the project’s organising team.
“It helps ensure that an individual’s choices relating to future medical treatment are respected, in case a time comes when they are so ill that they can no longer make or communicate decisions for themselves.
“Through age, illness or accident, you may find it hard to say what treatment you want and to understand what’s going on with your medical treatment.
“Health care decisions then fall to families, friends and doctors who may not be aware of your actual wishes.
“Advance Care Planning can help loved ones make medical decisions for you, confident that they know what your wishes would be,” she said.
Advance Care Planning involves:
• Discussing your medical condition and treatment options with your GP and/or specialist
• Thinking about your lifestyle and what is important to you and talking about these things, including your future care preferences, with your loved ones
• Deciding which person you would like to make health care decisions for you in the event you cannot make them for yourself.
You can find out find out more about Advance Care Planning, including how to develop a plan, by going to our Hunter New England Health’s website at
http://www.hnehealth.nsw.gov.au/advance_care_planning .Contact Maree Garside on 4991 0555 for more information or to organise someone to address your group or organisation about Advance Care Planning.
Contact: Frances Holz
Phone: 4939 2216
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