The following is an extract from Dr Heather McNamee’s submission to the Queensland Parliament’s inquiry into palliative care, end-of-life care and voluntary assisted dying.

A GP in Cairns, and a member of Doctors For Assisted Dying Choice, Dr McNamee discusses her role in what she describes as “unofficial euthanasia” in an attempt to ensure patients don’t needlessly suffer.

I am a GP working in Queensland. I am a strong supporter of voluntary assisted dying and the basic human right to have suffering relieved and to have control over the timing and nature of our death — should life be intolerable or without real hope of continuing in a meaningful way.

The majority of doctors (if not all) have performed “unofficial euthanasia” at some point in their career, whether they are prepared to admit this or not. I certainly have.