Three of NSW’s largest religious aged care providers will not provide voluntary assisted dying services to residents when the state’s VAD laws become effective on 28 November 2023.
Calvary
Calvary Health Care, which has 16 aged care homes NSW, will not offer voluntary assisted dying (VAD) to NSW consumers when the state becomes the last in Australia to allow terminally ill people to choose the timing of their death.
A spokesperson for Calvary Health Care told The SOURCE, “Calvary does not support VAD and does not offer VAD services, including facilitating or participating in assessments undertaken for the purpose of accessing or making use of the interventions allowed under VAD legislation.
“The current legislation allows for individual and institutional conscientious objection.”
The national healthcare provider said it “specialises in holistic end-of-life care, and operates in other jurisdictions where VAD has already been introduced”.
“We respect resident choice and recognise some residents in our care may wish to explore the option of VAD,” the spokesperson told The SOURCE. “In these instances, our staff hold open, respectful discussions with residents and their families about their treatment and care at the end of life.”
Anglicare Sydney
In a statement shared with The SOURCE, Anglicare, one of NSW’s largest aged care providers with 23 facilities, said they are “opposed to physician-assisted suicide in any form and is instead committed to providing life-affirming care and choice, including palliative care that supports a person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.”
“Anglicare and our staff will refuse to participate in the request and assessment process, participate in an administration decision, prescribe, supply or administer a voluntary assisted dying substance, store a voluntary assisted dying substance or be present at the time of administration or self-administration,” the statement said.
“If a resident at an Anglicare facility seeks information on voluntary assisted dying, they can do so from NSW Health or their medical practitioner.
“We respect every individual’s independence by considering each person as being open to a well-informed consideration of the life choices before them."
St Vincent’s Care Services
A spokesperson for St Vincent's Care Services, which operates residential aged care facilities in QLD, NSW, and VIC (six in NSW), told The SOURCE they don't provide VAD, but they “respect resident choice” so will not “block or impede” a resident's access to the service.
"St Vincent’s Care Services and its staff don’t participate in providing VAD services,” the spokesperson said.
“However, we recognise that some residents may wish to independently explore the option of VAD while in our care.
“In that event, our aged care services will never block or impede a resident’s access to VAD if that’s their choice.
“St Vincent’s aged care services will always respect resident choice. And we will always uphold our commitment to ensuring our residents have access to excellent end-of-life care.”