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END-OF-LIFE CHOICES (VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING) ACT 2021 (NO. 1 OF 2021)

- Act 1 of 2021 - Royal Assent 22 April 2021

Table of Provisions

Long Title

PART 1 - Preliminary

  • 1 Short title
  • 2 Commencement
  • 3 Objectives and principles
  • 4 Act binds Crown

PART 2 - Interpretation Provisions

  • 5 Interpretation
  • 6 Relevant medical condition
  • 7 Relevant information about eligibility
  • 8 Relevant facts in relation to accessing voluntary assisted dying
  • 9 Authorised medical practitioners

PART 3 - When Person May Access Voluntary Assisted Dying

  • 10 When person is eligible to access voluntary assisted dying
  • 11 When person meets residency requirements
  • 12 When person has decision-making capacity
  • 13 When person is acting voluntarily
  • 14 When person is suffering intolerably in relation to relevant medical
  • condition

PART 4 - Communication in Relation to Access to Voluntary Assisted

Dying
  • 15 When person’s communication under Act may be made by another
  • person
  • 16 Person may withdraw from voluntary assisted dying process at any
  • time
  • 17 Certain persons not to initiate discussions about voluntary assisted
  • dying

PART 5 - First Request Division 1 - Making and acceptance of first

request
  • 18 Person may make first request to access voluntary assisted dying
  • 19 Medical practitioner must accept or refuse to accept first request
  • 20 Refusal to accept first request
  • 21 Medical practitioner not required to give reasons for accepting or
  • refusing request

Division 2 - Effect of acceptance of first request

  • 22 Medical practitioner who accepts first request becomes PMP
  • 23 Notification of acceptance of first request
  • 24 Person who makes first request is to be provided with relevant
  • information about eligibility
  • 25 PMP may refer person, request information, &c.

Division 3 - Determination of first request

  • 26 PMP to determine first request
  • 27 Requirements in relation to determination of first request
  • 28 Determination of first request to be in writing
  • 29 Records and notifications of determination of first request

PART 6 - Second Request Division 1 - Making of second request

  • 30 Person may make second request
  • 31 Certain persons may not witness a second request

Division 2 - Determination of second request

  • 32 PMP may refer person, request further information, &c.
  • 33 Determination of second request
  • 34 Requirements in relation to determination of second request
  • 35 Determination of second request to be in writing and contain
  • relevant information about eligibility
  • 36 Records and notifications of determination of second request

PART 7 - Referral to Medical Practitioner for Second Opinion

  • 37 PMP who determines person eligible must refer person to medical
  • practitioner for second opinion
  • 38 Restrictions on referral to more than one medical practitioner
  • 39 Medical practitioner must accept or refuse to accept referral
  • 40 Refusal to accept referral
  • 41 Medical practitioner not required to give reasons for decision as to
  • whether to accept referral

PART 8 - Requirements Where Referral Accepted

  • 42 Medical practitioner who accepts referral becomes CMP
  • 43 PMP to provide reports and information to CMP
  • 44 CMP may examine person and seek further information from person
  • 45 CMP may seek further information, &c., from PMP
  • 46 PMP may refer person, or request further information, &c., at
  • request of CMP

PART 9 - Second Opinion as to Eligibility to Access Voluntary

Assisted Dying Division 1 - CMP to determine eligibility to access voluntary assisted dying
  • 47 CMP to determine whether person eligible to access voluntary assisted
  • dying
  • 48 Requirements in relation to determination by CMP
  • 49 Determination of CMP to be in writing and contain relevant
  • information about eligibility
  • 50 CMP to keep record of determination and notify Commission

Division 2 - Effect of 2 CMPs determining person not eligible to

access voluntary assisted dying
  • 51 Voluntary assisted dying process ends if 2 CMPs determine person not
  • eligible
  • 52 Where process ends under section 51 former PMP may not accept
  • first request for 12 months

PART 10 - Final Requests

  • 53 Person may make final request to PMP
  • 54 PMP may refer person to another health practitioner, &c.
  • 55 Determination of final request
  • 56 Requirements in relation to determination of final request
  • 57 Determination of final request to be in writing and contain relevant
  • information about eligibility
  • 58 Notification of determination
  • 59 Change of PMP after final request made

PART 11 - Health Practitioner Who is to Supply VAD Substance to

Person
  • 60 PMP to decide whether to be AHP
  • 61 AHP in relation to person
  • 62 Appointment of AHP
  • 63 Requirements for appointment of AHP
  • 64 Person entitled to refuse to be appointed AHP
  • 65 PMP to be notified of appointment of AHP

PART 12 - Authorisations and Prescriptions in Relation to VAD

Substances Division 1 - VAD substance authorisation
  • 66 PMP may request Commission to issue VAD substance authorisation
  • 67 Commission may issue or refuse to issue VAD substance authorisation
  • 68 Refusal to issue VAD substance authorisation
  • 69 Amendment or revocation of VAD substance authorisation

Division 2 - VAD substance prescriptions

  • 70 PMP may issue VAD substance prescription
  • 71 What pharmacist may do on receiving VAD substance prescription
  • 72 PMP to destroy VAD substance prescription in certain circumstances

Division 3 - Duties of PMP and AHP after being supplied VAD

substance
  • 73 Duties of PMP when VAD substance supplied to PMP
  • 74 Supply of VAD substance to AHP by PMP
  • 75 Duties of AHP when VAD substance supplied to AHP by PMP
  • 76 Duties of AHP in relation to VAD substance when VAD substance no
  • longer required
  • 77 Duties of PMP in relation to VAD substance when VAD substance no
  • longer required

PART 13 - Final Administrative Requirements Division 1 -

Decision-making capacity and voluntariness to be determined
  • 78 Final determination by AHP of decision-making capacity and
  • voluntariness
  • 79 AHP may refer person to another person, &c.
  • 80 Notice where AHP determines person does not have decision-making
  • capacity or is not acting voluntarily
  • 81 Advice to be given to person where AHP determines person has
  • decision-making capacity and is acting voluntarily

Division 2 - Final permission to be given

  • 82 Person may give final permission

Division 3 - Private self-administration certificates

  • 83 Private self-administration request
  • 84 Private self-administration certificate
  • 85 Appointment of contact person

PART 14 - Provision of Assistance to Die Division 1 - Supply and

administration of VAD substance where no private self-administration certificate
  • 86 AHP may supply, &c., VAD substance to person
  • 87 Duties of AHP if VAD substance not to be privately self-administered
  • 88 Duties where unexpected complications arise and person not privately
  • self-administering

Division 2 - Self-administration in private

  • 89 AHP may supply VAD substance to person
  • 90 AHP to show self-administering person how to administer VAD substance
  • 91 Private self-administration of VAD substance
  • 92 Duties of contact person where VAD substance to be, or is,
  • privately self-administered

Division 3 - Duties of AHP after VAD substance administered or

voluntary assisted dying process ends
  • 93 Duty to notify Coroner

PART 15 - Review of Decisions Division 1 - Preliminary

  • 94 Interpretation of Part 15

Division 2 - Application for review

  • 95 Application for review of decision
  • 96 No further action to be taken until application determined
  • 97 Parties to review and representation
  • 98 Withdrawal and dismissal of application

Division 3 - Conduct of review

  • 99 Purpose of review, &c.
  • 100 Procedure
  • 101 Evidence
  • 102 Self-incrimination
  • 103 Determination of application
  • 104 Reasons for decision
  • 105 Supreme Court

PART 16 - PMPs, CMPs and AHPs Generally

  • 106 When PMP ceases to be PMP
  • 107 Former PMP may apply to Commission to become PMP again
  • 108 When CMP ceases to be CMP
  • 109 When AHP ceases to be AHP

PART 17 - Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission Division 1 -

Appointments
  • 110 Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission
  • 111 Meetings of Commission
  • 112 Officers of Commission
  • 113 Confidentiality

Division 2 - Functions and powers

  • 114 Functions and powers of Commission
  • 115 Delegation by Commission
  • 116 Commission to determine VAD substances
  • 117 Commission to approve voluntary assisted dying training courses
  • 118 Guidelines for determination of persons with special interest

Division 3 - Records and reports

  • 119 General record requirements
  • 120 Annual report

Division 4 - Regulatory functions

  • 121 Person who suspects contravention of Act may notify Commission
  • 122 Commission may require information from persons
  • 123 Requirement in relation to Commission where suspected contravention of
  • Act

PART 18 - Offences

  • 124 Inducements and dishonest or undue influence
  • 125 False representation of being authorised to communicate on behalf of
  • person
  • 126 Person’s communicator must communicate faithfully
  • 127 Falsification of record, &c.
  • 128 False statements
  • 129 Dishonest inducement to use VAD substance
  • 130 Offence to fail to provide notice to Commission when required
  • 131 Offences by contact person
  • 132 Offences in relation to review

PART 19 - Protection from Liability

  • 133 Protection for persons assisting access to voluntary assisted dying
  • process
  • 134 Technical error does not invalidate
  • 135 Protection for persons acting in good faith
  • 136 Contravention of Act by practitioners
  • 137 Authority for medical practitioner to refer person or seek
  • information without being punished
  • 138 Electronic communications
  • 139 Regional access standards

PART 20 - Miscellaneous

  • 140 Deaths not suicide for purposes of law of State
  • 141 Conflict of Acts
  • 142 Giving of notices
  • 143 Jurisdiction of Supreme Court
  • 144 Report on initial operation of Act
  • 145 Review of Act
  • 146 Regulations
  • 147 Administration of Act
  • [ Note: This table has been automatically generated and may be incomplete. ]

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