Voluntary Assisted Dying Disclosure Statement
The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 (VAD Act) was passed in September 2021 commenced operation in Queensland from 1 January 2023.
Our position on voluntary assisted dying
Cabanda will continue to provide care, support and services to residents, family and staff throughout their end of life journey.
Cabanda respects and supports:
- residents to live the life they choose which includes the right to choose the pathway to an end of life experience;
- personal choice including best practice in palliative care and VAD;
- our residents receive high quality end of life care, which strives to ensure that pain and suffering is minimised;
- the rights of residents to seek information about, or request access to, VAD;
- the rights of residents to their privacy and confidentiality. Cabanda will only disclose personal information in accordance with the VAD legislation in the applicable jurisdiction and with consent of the person to whom the information relates; and
- the rights of other persons, including our staff and other residents, including where those persons may have an objection to VAD.
Whilst health practitioners can refuse to participate in the VAD process under the relevant legislation, health practitioners must not hinder access to VAD and must ensure that the resident continues to receive the treatment and care unrelated to VAD.
Our responsibilities and obligations under the VAD Act
We will comply with the requirements of the VAD Act but we do not provide services associated with voluntary assisted dying at our aged care facility.
We are committed to responding to any resident who expresses a wish to explore or consider voluntary assisted dying in a sensitive and respectful manner.
Cabanda Care will not:
- intentionally take steps to help a person end their own life, nor intentionally assist a resident to take their own life;
- hasten a resident’s death;
- hinder a resident’s right to access information or to make a request about VAD; and
- hinder access by an authorised VAD practitioner or a VAD navigator service to Cabanda to provide information to a resident where the access is requested by a resident or otherwise required under the relevant legislation.
If information or services are requested that are not available at Cabanda, Cabanda will:
- notify the resident that the information or services are not available and give the resident details of a VAD navigator (or similar) service that may assist the resident;
- provide support and assistance where a resident wants or needs to transfer to another service to access VAD services.
Questions
- Please direct any questions about this statement to the General Manager.