advance decision or statement

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advance decision or statement (ăd-vahns) n. a legally recognized decision or statement made by a mentally capable adult that identifies any specific or general treatments the patient does not want in the event that he or she loses mental capacity. An advance decision is very specific and must be shown to be valid and applicable to the medical situation that arises (see also living will). An advance statement is more general, indicating the sort of treatment the patient may or may not wish to undergo, and (under the Mental Capacity Act 2005) is less legally binding than a decision.

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advance decision or statement

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