It is the duty of care of healthcare professionals to provide the patient with all information relating to treatment (NSW Government, 2005). If a person is unable to give consent due to minor age, mental illness, cognitive impairment or unconsciousness, alternative options are available to help a person express their healthcare preferences, e.g. , in the case of a child, a parent or guardian could consent to medical treatment on their behalf or, in the case of an adult with cognitive impairment, an advance treatment order could be useful in this situation. An advanced care directive or living will is a legal document that contains a person's wishes or instructions regarding their future health care or end-of-life care. A surrogate decision maker may also be appointed in advance care directives to make decisions on behalf of the patient (Cartwright,