Voluntary assisted dying pharmacy practice update released

To support compassionate, compliant end-of-life care, Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has released a voluntary assisted dying (VAD) practice update for pharmacist practitioners. ‘Voluntary Assisted Dying Pharmacy Practice Update’, developed by the AdPha VAD Working Group, includes the latest information, resources and tools to ensure conversations with patients at or approaching end-of life are handled sensitively, respectfully, legally and in a supportive manner.

“Talking about VAD is never easy — and trying to do so while juggling a patchwork of laws across the country only adds to the challenge,” VAD Working Group Member Tanya Burgess FANZCAP (VAD) said. “This new resource emphasises the need for pharmacy professionals to understand the legal criteria in the state or territory they work in, so they confidently engage in these conversations with care and clarity.”

The evolving legal landscape and emotional weight of VAD should make it a key focus for the profession, AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt), a credentialled VAD Pharmacist, said. “As Voluntary Assisted Dying is now legal in most parts of Australia, we have a responsibility to ensure pharmacists are adequately equipped to support patients with compassion and competence,” Simpson said. “This update is a significant step forward and I want to acknowledge the dedicated members of the AdPha working group for their work.”

The resource is available here, via the AdPha website.

Image credit: iStock.com/Jacob Wackerhausen