Advance directive (whakaaro pono) in mental health

An advance directive (whakaaro pono) sets out your choices regarding your future mental health care.

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What an advance directive (whakaaro pono) in mental health care and treatment is

An advance directive (whakaaro pono) is intended to be used in situations where you are not able to tell services what you want because you are too unwell.

Whakaaro pono specifies the type of treatment you prefer to receive if you become unwell. You can specify treatments you prefer not to have. It cannot override the Mental Health Act or the Privacy Act, but it can help your care team take into account your personal needs, values and beliefs.

Whakaaro pono needs to be made when you are well. It cannot be made by anyone else on your behalf. You must be making it of your own free will. The mental health service has a formal procedure in place for using an advance directive.

How to create an advance directive (whakaaro pono)

1

Plan your advance directive

Decide what the most important aspects of your care are that you wish to cover.

It can be in a written format or a video format.

2

Find help to write your advance directive

Decide on who you would like to help you develop your advance directive. It could be a:

  • whānau member
  • friend
  • Nelson COMPASS worker
  • Blenheim Mental Health Advocacy worker
  • care manager or psychiatrist
  • Māori health cultural support worker.

Have a discussion about:

  • what happened last time
  • what worked well
  • medications
  • strategies that help and strategies that do not help.
3

Write your advance directive

Write your advance directive.

You can use our suggested format or do it in a way you feel comfortable.

Advance directive — letter templateDOCX194 KB
Advance directive — letter templatePDF251 KB

Advance directive — standard templateDOCX200 KB
Advance directive — standard templatePDF291 KB

Certain criteria need to be met to make sure the mental health service will take your advance directive into consideration. These criteria are:

  • A registered health professional has assessed you as competent (of sound mind) and you were fully informed at the date of the advance directive being written and this is verified by the signature of the registered health professional.
  • Depending on the circumstances it is possible that not all preferences will be able to be acted on. However, the clinical team will consider your preferences and act on these where it is safe and practical to do so.
  • You made the directive of your own free will and affirm this on the advance directive.
  • The advance directive is current and signed by you.
4

Finalise your advance directive

Once you have a draft copy, discuss it with the people that helped you create it. Make any adjustments and then confirm your final version.

Sign and date the final version, and have your healthcare provider sign it as well.

It is now ready to be put in a place for when and if you need it.

Have a copy for:

  • yourself
  • whānau
  • your healthcare provider
  • other people who support you
  • care manager or psychiatrist — ask your care manager or psychiatrist to put a copy in your electronic health records.

You can also send a scanned copy of your signed advance directive to:

MH.DataAnalyticsTeam@nmdhb.govt.nz

The advance directive will be added to your records.

Additional support

The following agencies will support you in writing an advance directive, or can review one you have written:

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough consumer advisor
Phone: 03 546 1410

Mental Health Advocacy Service Blenheim
Phone: 03 579 5304

Nīkau Hauora Hub
Phone: 03 539 3760

Compass
Phone: 03 548 2798 ext 6

Te Piki Oranga Māori Wellness Services
Phone: 0800 672 642

Yellow Brick Road
Phone: 03 546 6090 ext 0

Supporting Families Marlborough
Phone: 03 577 5491

You can also contact your healthcare provider.

For a list of free mental health helplines, visit the Mental Health Foundation.

Helplines and support — Mental Health Foundation