ANMF welcomes compassionate, but rigorous recommendations

The Ministerial Advisory Panel’s final report and recommendations on voluntary assisted dying provides clear directions, and eliminates grey areas, for those responsible for drafting Victoria’s laws.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) commends the expert panel for its compassionate and carefully considered approach to this challenging and confronting issue.

ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said: ‘We believe the final report sets out a blueprint for a rigorous but not overly onerous process that provides a person, who is already dying, with the ability to make an autonomous decision about alleviating their own suffering.

‘We welcome the tight eligibility requirements, the independent assessment process by two medical practitioners, the requirement for a patient to have a voluntary, written and enduring request to access the laws, the safeguards, the transparency and oversight and the proposed 18-month lead in time.

‘We also support the unprecedented 68 safeguards that respect life and would protect vulnerable Victorians from any form of coercion,’ Ms Fitzpatrick said.

‘We encourage anyone with concerns to review the robust safeguards particularly those around compulsory training for health practitioners, management of the medication, mandatory notification obligations on health practitioners to notify of practice outside the laws, the ban on medical and health practitioners initiating a voluntary assisted dying discussion with a patient and the accountability provisions.

‘We would also highlight the new proposal to create new offences and introduce harsh penalties for inducing a person to request voluntary assisted dying or administering a lethal dose to a person who no longer has decision-making capacity.

‘The majority, but not all, of Victorian nurses support voluntary assisted dying and we believe this report provides a balanced approach that has responded to concerns raised during the consultation process and provides protections for dying Victorians and their doctors and nurses.

‘Importantly the report respects those doctors and nurses who don’t support voluntary assisted dying giving them the right to conscientiously object to any involvement in a patient’s request.

‘Ultimately this report provides clear direction on drafting laws that respect dying Victorians and understand they know their own tolerance for pain and suffering and that some, not all, want another choice.’

Media contact: Robyn Asbury 0417 523 252

ANMF (Vic Branch) Voluntary euthanasia/ assisted dying policy
Federal ANMF Assisted Dying Position Statement

A note on language from the Ministerial Advisory Panel's Final Report
The 68 safeguards from the Ministerial Advisory Panel's Final Report
Find out how the proposed Victorian model compares with other jurisdictions

Read more about the Andrews Government's Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill preparation