Lockdown impacts Vic’s voluntary assisted dying scheme

Patients seeking access to the Victorian VAD scheme are facing additional hurdles due to the ban on telehealth consults

The pandemic is preventing patients from accessing Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying scheme as doctors are unable to use telehealth to counsel them due to concerns over breaching federal law.

An independent review of the voluntary assisted dying scheme has again called on the Federal Government to make an exemption to laws that prevent doctors discussing assisted death with patients outside of face-to-face consultations.