Mater will not be participating in voluntary assisted dying (VAD).
As a Catholic healthcare service, Mater People will not participate in or facilitate the services provided for under the Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation. Mater adheres to the Code of Ethical Standards for Catholic Health and Aged Care Services in Australia and as such does not participate in or facilitate treatments where the primary purpose is to terminate life.
Mater provides compassionate, palliative care to people with life-limiting illnesses. This care includes providing relief from pain and other physical and psychosocial symptoms of illness and frailty. We withdraw life-prolonging treatments when they are medically futile, overly burdensome or requested to end by a patient who provides informed refusal. Mater people support an informed decision process about end-of-life care. When our patients are dying, we help them to die in comfort and with dignity through palliative care.
Mater People and its services will not impede access to VAD. Should a patient come to our facility to request information or request to access VAD, Mater people will support navigation to other services in accordance with this policy, through a Tiered governance system.