Access in regional, rural and remote areas (QVAD-Access)

QVAD-Access supports equitable access to voluntary assisted dying for people living in regional, rural, and remote areas of Queensland.

QVAD-Access supports a voluntary assisted dying practitioner to travel to the person, or a person accessing voluntary assisted dying to travel to a practitioner, where there is no suitable practitioner available locally and telehealth is not appropriate nor allowable.

QVAD-Access may support the travel costs within Queensland of:

  • People accessing voluntary assisted dying
    • person accessing voluntary assisted dying
    • support person (aged 18 years or older) of a person accessing voluntary assisted dying
  • Service providers
    • an authorised voluntary assisted dying doctor or nurse
    • a person with appropriate skills and training who has accepted a referral for determination from an authorised voluntary assisted dying practitioner
    • an interpreter.

QVAD-Access covers the most clinically appropriate and cost-effective mode of transport available.

Exclusions

QVAD-Access does not fund the cost of the voluntary assisted dying consultation. All arrangements between a service provider and a person accessing voluntary assisted dying should be discussed and agreed upon prior to booking travel.

QVAD-Access does not cover the travel of Queensland Health employees. QVAD-Support may coordinate for a Queensland Health employee to provide voluntary assisted dying services in a location outside their employing Hospital and Health Service. This is subject to approval from the employing Hospital and Health Service. Queensland Health and Hospital and Health Service travel policies and procedures apply.

Telehealth

Telehealth is often used by people living in regional, rural, and remote areas to access healthcare. However, this is not possible for some steps of the voluntary assisted dying process. Telehealth may be clinically inappropriate, not practicable, or prohibited under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). The QVAD Handbook provides more information on when telehealth can and cannot be used.

Eligibility

QVAD Support, in consultation with the authorised VAD practitioner and the person accessing VAD, will determine whether QVAD-Access will cover the service provider or the person accessing voluntary assisted dying to travel.

The following criteria apply:

  • a first request for voluntary assisted dying has been made and accepted
  • a service provider cannot be sourced locally
  • a voluntary assisted dying consultation is required and cannot be conducted via telehealth, or the person accessing voluntary assisted dying is required to collect the substance for self-administration
  • other QVAD-Access requirements are met, refer to table below for details.

Other QVAD-Access requirements

Person accessing voluntary assisted dying

  • required to travel more than 50km (one way) from their home address to the place of consultation

Support person

  • maximum of 1 support person
  • at least 18 years of age
  • willing and able to act in the support role and travel with the person

Service provider

  • required to travel more than 50km (one way) from their home address to the place of consultation
  • willing and available to act in the role required by the person

Plus:

Voluntary assisted dying doctor or nurse

Person accepting a referral for determination

  • has the appropriate skills, training and scope of practice to accept a referral for determination

Interpreter

  • meets accreditation criteria for voluntary assisted dying or received an exemption from Queensland Health

For more information contact QVAD Support

Email: QVADsupport@health.qld.gov.au
Phone: 1800 431 371

Last updated: 12 May 2023