Commentary on Sections Part 18 – Miscellaneous Advance statements: making and withdrawal
536.Section 275 sets out a procedure by which a patient can make an ‘advance statement’. This is a statement setting out how the patient would wish or would not wish to be treated for any mental disorder if, at some future time, he or she has a mental disorder which causes his or her ability to make decisions about those matters to be significantly impaired.
537.Subsection (2) provides that an advance statement must be in writing and must be signed by the patient and a witness. The witness must also certify that, in his or her opinion, the patient was capable of making the statement at the time.
538.A patient may withdraw an advance statement in accordance with the provisions in subsection (3).