Your voluntary assisted dying healthcare team

There are 3 key roles that doctors and nurses can do to help you through the voluntary assisted dying process.

Coordinating doctor will be an eligible doctor who has completed mandatory training and been approved as an authorised voluntary assisted dying doctor. They will:

• coordinate the voluntary assisted dying process
• be your primary voluntary assisted dying clinical contact
• receive your first request
• conduct the first assessment
• refer you to another doctor for a consulting assessment
• assist you with making your administration decision
• prescribe the voluntary assisted dying substance
• act as your administering doctor (for practitioner administration).

Consulting doctor is an eligible doctor who has completed mandatory training and has been approved as an authorised voluntary assisted dying doctor. They will:

• conduct consulting assessments.

Administering doctor or nurse will only be involved in practitioner administration (not self-administration). As a default, this will be your coordinating doctor. The role can be transferred to another eligible doctor, nurse practitioner or registered nurse who has completed the mandatory training and been approved as an authorised voluntary assisted dying doctor or nurse. They will:

• administer the voluntary assisted dying substance
• dispose of any unused or remaining voluntary assisted dying substance.

Role of other healthcare workers

Other healthcare workers can support you through the voluntary assisted dying process. This can include doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners.

These healthcare workers can support you by:

• providing information about voluntary assisted dying to you if you request it
• accepting a referral to decide if you:
  • have an eligible diagnosis or prognosis
  • have decision-making capacity in relation to voluntary assisted dying
  • are acting voluntarily and without coercion
• continuing to provide care to you and your family while you work through the voluntary assisted dying process.