The Victorian Parliament has last month passed the Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Act 2016 which will grant legal recognition of Advance Care Directives. The aim of the new law is to enable you to give binding instructions and/or express your preferences and values in regards to future medical treatment, along with providing you with the opportunity to appoint a person to make medical treatment decisions on your behalf. It will play a large role in encouraging you to have conversations with your doctor and family about what kind of medical treatment you would want, should you no longer have the capacity to decide for yourself
Please note that the Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Act does not allow for voluntary assisted dying practices. DwD Victoria is optimistic of seeing assisted dying legislation in the coming year and will be working hard with the public, health care organisations and Members of Parliament to finally bring voluntary assisted dying laws to Victoria.
Australia