As outlined in Advance care planning: have the conversation; A strategy for Victorian health services 2014–2018, advance care planning is not a ‘tool for … equitable distribution of healthcare resources’ (Department of Health 2014).

Advance care planning is focused on the individual child and family and does not relate to healthcare costs.

Advance care planning is in no way related to euthanasia (Department of Health 2014). Euthanasia is ‘the act of knowingly and intentionally directly causing the death of a person … to relieve difficult suffering’ (Department of Health 2014). Advance care planning is thinking ahead and possibly making decisions about what treatments would or would not be in the best interest of a patient if they were to suffer an acute deterioration.

Advance care plans are not immutable. They can be revised at any future time.