Advance care planning is important for all patients with a cancer diagnosis but especially those with advanced disease. Where appropriate, patients, their family or carer should be encouraged to think and talk about their healthcare values and preferences and consider developing an advance care directive to convey their preferences for future health care (Australian Government Department of Health 2021a).

These conversations should begin soon after the cancer diagnosis, and can be revisited intermittently throughout the disease course. Importantly, advance care planning is a process rather than single event.

More information

Refer to section 4.3 ‘More information’ for links to resources.

Refer patients and carers to Advance Care Planning Australia  or to the Advance Care Planning National Phone Advisory Service on 1300 208 582.