Regional, rural and remote communities
QVAD-Access supports access to voluntary assisted dying for people living in regional, rural, and remote Queensland.
QVAD-Access supports a voluntary assisted dying doctor or nurse to travel to the person, or a person accessing voluntary assisted dying to travel to a doctor or nurse, when local services are unable to provide the necessary support.
QVAD-Access is a travel subsidy arrangement, managed by the Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying Support Service (QVAD-Support).
QVAD-Access may support the travel costs within Queensland of:
- People accessing voluntary assisted dying
- person accessing voluntary assisted dying
- support person (aged 18 years or older) of a person accessing voluntary assisted dying
- Service providers
- an authorised voluntary assisted dying doctor or nurse
- a person with appropriate skills and training who has accepted a referral for determination from an authorised voluntary assisted dying doctor
- an interpreter.
QVAD-Access covers the most clinically appropriate and cost-effective mode of transport available.
QVAD-Access does not fund the cost of voluntary assisted dying consultations. A service provider and the person accessing voluntary assisted dying should discuss and agree any consultation costs before travel is booked.
Telehealth
Telehealth is often used by people living in regional, rural, and remote areas to access healthcare. However, this is not possible for some steps of the voluntary assisted dying process. Telehealth may be clinically inappropriate, not practicable, or prohibited under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
Your doctor or nurse will advise when telehealth can and cannot be used.
Eligibility
QVAD-Support, in consultation with the voluntary assisted dying doctor or nurse and the person accessing voluntary assisted dying, will decide whether QVAD-Access will cover the service provider or the person’s travel. QVAD-Support will consider the following criteria:
- a first request for voluntary assisted dying has been made and accepted
- the services are not available locally
- voluntary assisted dying consultation is required and cannot be conducted via telehealth, or the person accessing voluntary assisted dying is required to collect the substance for self-administration
- other QVAD-Access requirements are met, refer to the table below for details.
Other QVAD-Access requirements
Person accessing voluntary assisted dying |
|
Support person |
|
Service provider |
Plus: Voluntary assisted dying doctor or nurse
Person accepting a referral for determination
Interpreter
|
Contact
For more information contact QVAD-Support
Email: QVADSupport@health.qld.gov.au
Phone: 1800 431 371