The ACT Government will establish a Voluntary Assisted Dying Implementation taskforce, following the introduction of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill to the Legislative Assembly last year.
The Federal Parliament in 2022 removed restrictions preventing the ACT and Northern Territory from passing laws to allow for voluntary assisted dying
The taskforce will establish the best framework and model of care. The Bill proposes that someone can access voluntary assisted dying if they are 18 or older; have a condition that is advanced, progressive, and expected to cause death; are intolerably suffering; have lived in the ACT for 12 months, or have a substantial connection to the ACT; are acting voluntarily; and can make decisions.
The taskforce will plan early implementation to prepare the health system and health workforce to deliver voluntary assisted dying services once the legislation is enacted later this year.
“It’s been a long journey for the ACT to reach this point,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said. “We understand Canberrans care deeply about this issue, with strong support for a voluntary assisted dying scheme in the ACT.”
The taskforce, working with the ACT Health Directorate and Canberra Health Services, will set up care and referral pathways across the health system; establish care navigation and pharmacy services; create clinical guidelines and regulations; provide training and accreditation for the workforce; communicate and engage with the community; and establish a new independent review board.
“We have seen from other jurisdictions around Australia that establishing robust governance arrangements is crucial in ensuring the health system is ready to deliver voluntary assisted dying services once the laws come into effect,” health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said.
“The Voluntary Assisted Dying Taskforce draws on expertise and resources from across the public health system to ensure the ACT delivers a successful, safe and accessible model of care that meets the needs of the community and the clinicians who will be instrumental in delivering it.
“We want our healthcare workers and stakeholders to feel supported and informed as we work to uphold the dignity and preferences of eligible Canberrans who choose to engage with voluntary assisted dying, and this taskforce is the next phase of this important process.”
The taskforce will work with stakeholder groups, agencies, and the broader community to develop community information and resources on voluntary assisted dying.
Community representatives will participate to ensure voluntary assisted dying services are fit for purpose and meet community expectations.
“We know that even with the best end-of-life care, some Canberrans with an advanced condition, illness or disease can experience intolerable suffering near the end of their lives,” Tara Cheyne, ACT Minister for Human Rights, said.
“To promote the autonomy and dignity of these people, the ACT Government has considered how to approach and regulate access to voluntary assisted dying through undertaking extensive community consultation throughout the past year.
“From this consultation, we have heard a number of clear needs from the community, which this newly established taskforce will work to address as we continue to progress the legislation through to its implementation.”
If discussion of voluntary assisted dying raises issues for you or your family, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Griefline on 1300 845 745.
