Working with palliative care physicians to prepare for voluntary assisted dying legislation

The Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (the Act) exposed a spectrum of opinions regarding euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide amongst Victorian palliative care physicians leading to sometimes acrimonious debate. The profession was unable to articulate a unified role in respect of VAD.

A collaboration between psychiatry and palliative care led to a series of group discussions in order to prepare for the Act and to re-establish professional cohesion.

Although the meetings revealed a plurality of views regarding VAD amongst palliative care physicians, the majority were firmly against the Act. Early meetings revealed strong feelings of shock and an inability to proceed. Previous debates resurfaced between those in support and those not in support of VAD. Over time, there was increased acceptance of the need to adapt to the presence of the Act in order to limit its impact on the robust relationship with the patient central to the practice of palliative care.

The implementation of VAD legislation requires an active process to address the challenges it represents for palliative care physicians. Collaborative facilitated meetings can help re-establish group cohesion through affirming the core principles of palliative care which remain independent of VAD.