The Victorian government has recently announced that it will partner with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance to support the implementation of the voluntary assisted dying laws passed by Victorian parliament late last year prior to the people being able to access the scheme in June 2019.
Washington, USA, legalised voluntary assisted dying in 2008 and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance has since become well-known for effectively incorporating access to voluntary assisted dying into existing treatment options offered to patients. The partnership aims to allow Victoria to utilise the expertise of clinicians who form part of Seattle’s successful Death with Dignity Program.
The Death with Dignity Program provides a multi-disciplinary approach to assisting patients to access the Washington voluntary assisted dying scheme. Participants are assigned a patient advocate, a social worker and physicians who assist throughout the process.
In addition to practical implementation assistance, it is expected the partnership will form a valuable resource for research and education into the future.
Read the Victorian government’s media release here.