VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA

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Revised May 2014

Principles

The Greens NSW believe:

1. Voluntary euthanasia is a fundamental human right and that individuals should have the freedom to make self-governing choices;

2. Individuals have a right to choose to die with dignity and to bring to an end terminal pain and suffering, provided they are psychologicallycapable of doing so, are not placed under duress, and proper processes and safeguards have been followed;

3. Voluntary euthanasia is bringing about the painless death, in a humane manner, of a person suffering an incurable disease or conditionand who voluntarily requests that their life be terminated;

4. Vulnerable people who are not necessarily suffering from severe pain or terminal illness or who are unable to make an informed andvoluntary decision to terminate their life should not be eligible for voluntary euthanasia;

5. Vulnerable people, who may feel pressure, whether real or imagined, to request an early death, must be protected ;

6. Voluntary euthanasia is important because it puts an end to the terrible suffering sometimes endured by a very small number of terminallyill patients for whom palliative care is ineffective or inappropriate;

7. It is cruel and inhumane to force a person to suffer when nothing can be done to relieve their pain and when the person wants to end theirlife ;

Aims

8. The Greens NSW will work towards supporting legalisation of voluntary euthanasia, subject to strict conditions which must be fulfilledRemove this footer and set your own layout? Use our online service with a license!

before euthanasia is carried out, including:

a. The patient must be 18 years of age or over;

b. The patient must have a terminal illness;

c. The terminal illness must be causing the patient severe pain or suffering;

d. The patient must be informed by a medical practitioner of the nature of the illness (diagnosis), the likely course of the illness (prognosis),and the medical treatment available;

e. A second medical practitioner, with special qualifications relating to the terminal illness of the patient, must examine the patient andconfirm to the patients doctor and the patient that he/she agrees with the diagnosis and prognosis;

f. The patient must be seen by a suitably qualified professional, trained to recognise mental illness (such as a psychiatrist or psychologist butnot limited to these), to ensure the patient is not suffering from treatable clinical depression or another mental illness that might impair theirjudgment;

g. Information about palliative care options must be given to the patient by a doctor with special qualifications in palliative care;

h. An interpreter must be used if any of the doctors do not share the patients first language ;

i. Having obtained the second medical and psychiatric opinions, and having considered the palliative care options, the patient must confirmto the doctor that they want assistance;

j. The patient must then wait at least seven days before signing a Request Form which must also be signed by their medical practitioner, asecond doctor, any interpreter, and a witness;

k. The patient must then wait at least 48 hours before the medical assistance is provided;

l. Any person who attempts to influence a doctor to assist, or not assist, a patient to end their life should be subject to significant penalties;

m. Any person who improperly causes another to sign or witness a Request Form should be subject to significant penalties.

Policy Category: Social justice

Voluntary Euthanasia Policy (PDF, 267KB)

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DR MEHREEN FARUQIDr Mehreen Faruqi joined theNSW Legislative Council inJune 2013.

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