Becoming a voluntary assisted dying practitioner

We are looking for medical practitioners, nurse practitioners and registered nurses who want to become authorised as a voluntary assisted dying practitioner in the ACT.

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in providing compassionate, patient-centred end of life care within a legally supported framework.

Who can become an authorised practitioner

There are 3 types of authorised practitioners who can provide voluntary assisted dying services:

A coordinating practitioner.
A consulting practitioner.
An administering practitioner.

As a coordinating or consulting practitioner, you must be either a:

medical practitioner who holds specialist registration and has practised for at least one year under that specialist registration
medical practitioner who holds general registration (or who now holds specialist registration, but for less than 1 year) and has practised for at least five years under the general registration
nurse practitioner who has practised for at least one year in a relevant area of practice as a nurse practitioner.

As an administering practitioner, you must be either a:

medical practitioner
nurse practitioner
a registered nurse who has practised for at least five years as a registered nurse.

Read the becoming an authorised voluntary assisted dying practitioner information pack [PDF 608kB] for a detailed breakdown of voluntary assisted dying practitioner roles and attributes.

To become an authorised practitioner, you must:

read the information pack [PDF 608kB]
download and complete the practitioner registration form
have the Health and Community Services Directorate review and approve your application
complete the mandatory voluntary assisted dying training
successfully pass the mandatory voluntary assisted dying assessment
acknowledge receipt and understanding of sensitive protocol documents
receive authorisation from the Health and Community Services Directorate.

Mandatory training

You must complete mandatory voluntary assisted dying training before you can be authorised to provide voluntary assisted dying services. The training takes approximately 6-8 hours to complete (one day) and will be face-to-face at 2-6 Bowes Street, Phillip ACT 2606.

More information on the mandatory training can be found in the information pack [PDF 608kB].

Reasons to get involved

This is an opportunity to support patients through a sensitive decision-making process, ensuring dignity and choice in end-of-life care.

You will receive comprehensive training to ensure you are well-supported in delivering voluntary assisted dying services in the ACT.

You can choose to work under contract with a set number of hours dedicated to voluntary assisted dying services or continue operating autonomously in your own practices.

Non-salaried practitioners may apply for financial compensation. Payment options are detailed in the Information Pack and discussed at mandatory training.

A community of practice will be established to provide ongoing support and foster continued practitioner engagement.

Before you apply

Before applying, make sure you:

check you meet the requirements
have your Ahpra registration number ready
have 2 valid forms of identification ready:
- a valid passport
- a valid Australian driver licence
- a government issued proof of age card
- a current government employee photo identity card
choose and reach out to your referees early
have a witness ready to witness your statutory declaration
have your supporting documents ready:
- current CV
- base and other qualifications

How to apply

Complete and submit the practitioner registration form.

These supporting documents must be submitted with your practitioner registration form:

A CV that shows your years of clinical practice at the relevant registration and practice type, and your recent and relevant clinical practice. This includes experience caring for people at end of life, patient assessment and clinical decision making.
A copy of a completed statutory declaration.
Certified copies of your qualifications, including undergraduate degree/s, specialist qualifications, or any other relevant post graduate qualifications.
Certified copies of two forms of identification (including at least one form of photo ID).
Proof of your name change. This is only needed if your name on your qualifications, identification or another certified document is different.

When you have completed the practitioner registration form and have your supporting documents ready, email your application to the Voluntary Assisted Dying Implementation Taskforce at VADWorkforce@act.gov.au.