Victorians who are at the end of life and who meet strict eligibility criteria can request access to voluntary assisted dying. The Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying Act (2017) provides a safe legal framework for people who are suffering and dying to choose the manner and timing of their death.
By law, a healthcare professional will never suggest voluntary assisted dying to anyone. Patients themselves must raise voluntary assisted dying if they want to know more.
Who can access voluntary assisted dying?
Voluntary assisted dying is available for people with an incurable, advanced and progressive disease, illness, or medical condition, who are experiencing intolerable suffering. The condition must be assessed by two medical practitioners to be expected to cause death within six months.
For a person with a neurodegenerative condition, the condition must be expected to cause death within 12 months.
Voluntary assisted dying is available to Victorians who are over the age of eighteen, have lived in Victoria for at least 12 months, are Australian citizens or permanent residents and have decision-making capacity.
The voluntary assisted dying care navigator service
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre hosts the state-wide voluntary assisted dying care navigator service. The voluntary assisted dying navigators are senior clinicians (nursing and allied health) with experience and expertise in discussing and supporting voluntary assisted dying. Their details are publicly available and can be contacted by any healthcare provider, patient, family, or other community member. The navigator service is available during normal business hours.
The voluntary assisted dying navigators can meet with and discuss the option of voluntary assisted dying with a person or family if they have raised it. The navigators can also connect a person with appropriate voluntary assisted dying assessing doctors if they wish to begin assessment process to access voluntary assisted dying.
The service is available for all Victorians – not only Peter Mac patients. The navigators can also be contacted by anyone - healthcare providers, patients, family, and other community members. The navigators can provide general support and information to anyone that contacts them.
Contact
- Email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Phone: (03) 8559 5823
- Mobile: 0436 848 344
Referring
The voluntary assisted dying navigators can meet with and discuss the option of voluntary assisted dying with a person or family if they have raised it. The navigators can also connect a person with appropriate voluntary assisted dying assessing doctors if they wish to begin assessment process to access voluntary assisted dying.
A health professional can also refer to our service on a person’s behalf.