Services that don't provide voluntary assisted dying

Service providers that do not provide voluntary assisted dying must publicly disclose this. This is so you can choose to seek care elsewhere if you would like to.

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 (the Act) provides for and regulates access to voluntary assisted dying. The Act outlines the minimum levels of access all service providers must give for voluntary assisted dying. Under the Act, service providers must not hinder (delay or stop) your access to voluntary assisted dying. Some service providers who don’t provide voluntary assisted dying, may choose to provide more than the minimum levels of access, for operational reasons or to support people’s choice.

You should speak to your service provider about how they will provide you with access to voluntary assisted dying, while in their care.

Permanent residents of facilities

A permanent resident is someone who lives at the facility. For example, a resident of a supported independent living facility, or someone who has security of tenure at a residential aged care facility.

At a minimum all services must allow doctors, nurses, and others who can assist with voluntary assisted dying to visit permanent residents who wish to access it. When accessing voluntary assisted dying there may be times when you need to be transferred to meet with a doctor or nurse who is unable to attend the facility–the facility will enable this.

As a permanent resident your security of tenure will not be impacted by your wish to access voluntary assisted dying.

Non-permanent residents of facilities

A non-permanent resident is someone who is staying at a facility temporarily. For example, a hospital inpatient, hospice resident or someone receiving respite care in a residential aged care facility.

At a minimum all services must:

• allow voluntary assisted dying doctors, nurses, and others who can provide information about voluntary assisted dying to visit you
• allow voluntary assisted dying doctors, nurses, and others who can assist with first, second and final requests for voluntary assisted dying to visit you
• facilitate your transfer to and from another place so you can be assessed for voluntary assisted dying
• facilitate your transfer to another place for administration of the voluntary assisted dying substance.

If it is not possible to transfer you, for example, if the transfer would cause serious harm or negatively affect your ability to access voluntary assisted dying, the service must allow a voluntary assisted dying doctor or nurse to visit you.