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.

The laws were introduced in 2005 in an attempt to stamp out cyberbullying by making it a criminal offence to counsel about how to commit suicide by a “carriage” service, including phone, email and social media.

In its report to the Victorian parliament, the review board says the law has led to increased stress for dying patients during the past six months due to COVID-19’s lockdown rules.