People living with mental illness

Nearly half (45%) of Australians will experience a mental illness at some stage of their life. Depression, trauma and anxiety are the most common. Other conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar are less common.

People with mental illness are more likely to face widespread barriers in accessing health and related services, which can be exacerbated at the end of life.

Queensland Health is committed to ensuring care at the end of life is available to all people living with mental illness who require care at the end of life, their carers and family members. Our aim is to ensure people with mental illness who are at the end of life:

• are treated with care, respect, dignity and confidentiality
• have access to healthcare and palliative care services, if required
• have their treatment and condition explained to them in a way they can understand
• are treated and cared for in the same way as everyone else
• have their individual medical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual needs supported
• are given the opportunity to participate in advance care planning
• receive care from people they know and trust.

Planning ahead and decision-making

Mental health issues do not prevent someone from participating in advance care planning. The main consideration for people living with mental illness is capacity. You do not necessarily lack capacity for decision-making because you live with mental illness.

If you have capacity and wish to plan for future healthcare other than mental health care (for example, surgery or care at the end of life), you can do this by carrying out advance care planning.

Advance health directive for mental health

There is a difference between what you can decide about your mental health care and what you can decide about other types of healthcare. An advance health directive for mental health is different to an advance health directive.

Read more about:

• advance health directive for mental health guide and form
• information about the Mental Health Act 2016
• your rights in treatment.

More information

Find more information about:

• Emotional support
• Counselling—how to access it and what it costs
• Coping with grief and loss—services and information
• Signs of mental illness
• Finding mental health services and support groups.