Position paper: Advance care planning and end-of-life decision making
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
Avant has released a position paper supporting a nationally consistent approach to advance care planning and end-of-life decision-making.
Download copy of position paper
Avant is concerned that the complex and varied legal requirements around Australia impacts upon the advance care planning process and exposes practitioners to medico-legal risk. In our experience, many practitioners still do not completely understand their legal obligations surrounding this aspect of end-of-life decision-making.
Avant’s position
Avant calls for:
- harmonisation of relevant legislation relating to advance care directives (ACDs), and substitute decision-making as a priority
- continued and further education for medical practitioners about the issues, process and legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which they practise
- continued and appropriate funding to support the process of advance care planning.
- Avant supports the promotion of wellbeing of practitioners dealing with this emotionally fraught area in managing patient death and end of life care decision-making.
Key links
- Avant’s submission to the Legal and Social Issues Committee Inquiry into End of Life Choices (Vic)
- Avant’s submission to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care's consultation on the draft National Consensus Statement on end of life care in acute hospitals
For questions and comments, please contact: advocacy@avant.org.au
More ways we can help you