About Respect Our Wishes
Respect Our Wishes is home to the National Register of Living Wills. We provide safe storage of your health care advance decisions so they are always available when you need them.
Respect Our Wishes is a unique service which
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Gives you access to your documents 365 days a year
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Ensures your health care choices are available to your medical team when you need them to be
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Contributes to the delivery of the NHS End of Life Care strategy
You may register three health care documents on the National Register of Living Wills:
1. A living will
A living will allows you to state in advance your preferences over your future medical care. Your choice may be to have all possible treatments available or you may choose to say no to some treatments. Living wills are applicable when you have a terminal illness or are no longer able to communicate your wishes.
Prepare your living will when you are still healthy and you give yourself time to consider your preferences, without the need for an immediate decision. You will also ensure your loved ones do not have to face tremendously difficult decisions on your behalf.
2. An advance directive
A do not attempt resuscitation (DNR) directive requests medical professionals do not attempt the procedures usually performed (known as CPR) when you stop breathing or your heart has stopped beating. To put it simply, you are asking that in the future nobody tries to make your heart or your breathing start again once they have stopped.
3. A statement of last wishes
This statement sets out how and where you would like to be cared for in your final days. The focus should be on creating the right atmosphere in the right place and not medical treatments. You choose the content which feels right for you. Areas such as how you would like to be comforted, visitors and spiritual support can be included.
Respect Our Wishes works closely with NHS hospitals, primary care trusts, medical associations and charities to raise awareness of living wills and advance directives.
