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Biggest decision of them all - death and assisted dying: capacity assessments and undue influence screening.

Carmelle PeisahLinda SheahanBen P White
Published in: Internal medicine journal (2020)
Arguably, deciding the timing and manner of one's death is the biggest decision of all. With the Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 commencing in 2019, assessing capacity to choose Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) becomes a critical issue for clinicians in Victoria, and elsewhere with on-going efforts to change the law across Australia and in New Zealand. We consider how capacity assessment and undue influence screening can be approached for VAD, the role and risks of supported decision-making, and argue for the importance of training to ensure health care professionals are educated about their role.
Keyphrases
  • palliative care
  • decision making
  • healthcare
  • quality improvement