The process for voluntary assisted dying

The following information provides a detailed breakdown of the voluntary assisted dying process. Reading this may be upsetting or confronting for some people. If this raises distressing issues, support is available.

There are 3 key phases in the voluntary assisted dying process and each phase has a number of steps. You can stop this process at any time.

Figure: A detailed flowchart of the process for voluntary assisted dying

Request and assessment
- first request
- first assessment
- consulting assessment
- second request
- final request
- final review
Administration of the voluntary assisted dying substance
- administration decision
- appointing the contact person
- prescription of the voluntary assisted dying substance
- supply of the voluntary assisted dying substance
- administration and death
After the person dies
- disposal of the substance
- death notification

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Costs

You may need to pay for appointments with your coordinating doctor, consulting doctor, administering doctor or nurse, or any other healthcare workers as you usually would based on their fees. You should discuss any potential costs with your doctor at the start of the process.

There are no costs for the voluntary assisted dying substance or for accessing the Queensland voluntary assisted dying support service (QVAD-Support).

Timeframe

Voluntary assisted dying is not emergency healthcare. You may take weeks or months to work your way through the process and make the final decision to administer the substance. Once you are deemed eligible, there is no maximum timeframe. You won’t be pressured to make decisions. You can decide to stop the process at any point.

Throughout the process you need to make 3 separate requests. There is a 9-day minimum timeframe between the first and final request, and the earliest you can make your final request is the 10^th day after your first request was made and accepted, as shown in the timeline table below.

The 9-day timeframe is to safeguard access to voluntary assisted dying and ensure that your decision is well thought through.

This 9-day period can be shortened if both your coordinating doctor and consulting doctor believe you are likely to die or lose decision-making capacity for voluntary assisted dying before the 9-day period lapses.

First request to final request timeframe

Example: If the person made the first request on the 17 April, the earliest they could make the final request is 26 April, 9 days later.

*Table: first request to final request timeframe*
Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7	Day 8	Day 9	Day 10
17 April	18 April	19 April	20 April	21 April	22 April	23 April	24 April	25 April	26 April
First request made								Last day consulting assessment can occur if final request occurs on Day 10	Final request can be made