People with disability—voluntary assisted dying
People with a disability have the same right to ask for voluntary assisted dying as others in the community.
People who have a disability must still meet all the eligibility criteria, including the ability to make and communicate a decision about voluntary assisted dying throughout the process. Having a disability alone does not meet the criteria set out in the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 (the Act).
What is voluntary assisted dying?
Video: an overview of voluntary assisted dying
Help with communicating
It is important that you understand what is happening at each stage of the voluntary assisted dying process. It is also important that you are able to communicate your needs and decisions at each stage of the process.
Throughout the voluntary assisted dying process, you can communicate verbally or by gestures or other means of communication available to you.
You can use a speech pathologist or occupational therapist.
Find out more about how you can communicate when accessing voluntary assisted dying.
Your carer or support worker
Your carer or support worker can choose not to be involved in the voluntary assisted dying process.
If someone looks after you, like a carer or support worker, they should continue to do so even if you are accessing voluntary assisted dying.
If you want to discuss voluntary assisted dying with your carer or support worker you must ask them, they cannot ask you first. Only a doctor or nurse practitioner can ask you about voluntary assisted before you ask them.
Your carer can find out more about voluntary assisted dying here: