Always make informed decisions
From when you turn 18 years old, according to the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act (2015), as an adult, you are responsible for making your own decisions. However, health and social care professionals are responsible for helping you, as the patient, explore all possibilities to make sure that you are making an informed decision.
More information about Assisted Decision Making can be found on the HSE’s website.
This means that if you need to make a decision relating to your care or treatment, you must be supported to make that decision through the provision of accessible information from healthcare professionals. Always make sure that you ask for the full picture when planning your health care.
Do you need support making decisions? Plan ahead with your parents.
Some people may have challenges with their capacity and may need support to make certain decisions. For these people, there are five different decision support arrangements. These may apply to some adults with cerebral palsy. These arrangements are based on the different levels of support that a person requires to make a specific decision at a specific time.
There are three types of support arrangements for people who currently or may shortly face challenges when making certain decisions:
- Decision-making assistant agreement
- Co-decision-making agreement
- Decision-making representation order.
If a person needs to make a decision relating to their care or treatment, they must be supported to make that decision.
There are two types of arrangements for people who wish to plan ahead for a time in the future when they might lose capacity, although this may not be appropriate for everyone:
- Advance healthcare directive
- Enduring power of attorney
If you are a parent or other support person of a young person who has challenges with their capacity, and think your young person may need support to make certain decisions when they turn 18, it is important to think about and plan for this before they turn 18.
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