Victorian Healthcare Association (VHA), 2018

Voluntary Assisted Dying

The VHA Voluntary Assisted Dying Tactile Tools™ workshop. Photographs by Adam R. Thomas, 2018.

This workshop focused on understanding the roadblocks to implementing voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in Victoria in 2019. The methodology provided the group with an opportunity to collaboratively engage with the problem space and highlighted the numerous roadblocks in providing fair and equitable access to all Victorians. Throughout the workshop the participants focused on developing a patient centred model of care by engaging with the experiences of people who are seeking to access voluntary assisted dying. This perspective of future users was provided through the use of five personas that we developed in consultation with Victorian Healthcare Association. Each table mapped out the experience of a persona as they navigated the assisted dying experience.

The activity helped to define key areas that may require more resourcing, training or communications. It also highlighted geographical conditions (e.g. border towns, regional and rural locations) that may need extra servicing via Telehealth or other means to ensure people from those locations have equitable access to VAD.