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Voluntary Assisted Dying in South Australia

VAD commenced in South Australia on January 31, 2023.

South Australia's Voluntary Assisted Dying Act (2021) allows a person to request medical assistance to die. Granting of the request is dependent on the person meeting the criteria specified in the legislation.

Criteria in the South Australian law passed in 2021 include:

  • You must be an adult (18 years and older)
  • You must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, and have been living in South Australia for 12 months when you make the first request
  • You must have at least one disease, illness or medical condition that:
    • is advanced, progressive, and incurable
    • will, on the balance of probabilities, cause your death within six months (or 12 months for neurodegenerative diseases such as motor neurone disease), and
    • is causing suffering that cannot be relieved in a way you consider tolerable.
  • You must have the capacity to make decisions in relation to voluntary assisted dying
  • You must be acting voluntarily
  • You must not be acting because of pressure or duress, and
  • Your request for access to voluntary assisted dying is enduring.

Two independent doctors will assess each person and confirm they meet all of the eligibility criteria. The assessment and request process will require a minimum of three consultations (two assessments and a final request with your Coordinating Medical Practitioner and two witnesses).

Disability and mental illness are not criteria for VAD. Both are specifically excluded in the legislation.

The request for VAD can only be made by the person themself. No other person can make a request for VAD on behalf of another person.

In addition

  • The person must be informed of all other treatment options
  • A cooling off period must be provided after the first request
  • The person makes a first request, a written request and a final request
  • The person’s written request is witnessed by two independent witnesses
  • The person appoints a contact person (to manage the drugs for self administration)
  • A voluntary assisted dying permit is issued, confirming all steps in the request process have been completed

​The South Australian Care Navigator Service in SA Health can provide support and assistance if you believe you may be eligible and wish to make a request for VAD. The VAD Care Navigator service is staffed by a team of health professionals who can guide and support you through all the steps in the VAD request and assessment process, including identifying a VAD trained doctor to do the assessments.

South Australian Voluntary Assisted Dying Care Navigator Service (available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday):

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0403 087 390

Steps to consider when accessing Voluntary Assisted Dying in South Australia

There are many steps to complete before a person can use the VAD substance to end their suffering. The average time from making the first request to using the VAD substance is about 25 days. For many people it takes longer.

If you have been diagnosed with an incurable or terminal medical condition, you may wish to consider voluntary assisted dying. Please consider the following:

  1. A prognosis of six months to live - or 12 months for a neurodegenerative condition - is required to be eligible for voluntary assisted dying. 
  2. Prognosis is a complicated and uncertain area of medicine. Many people may not receive a prognosis, or a six or 12 month prognosis, because their usual doctor is reluctant to provide a prognosis. 
  3. Many people believe they are not eligible for VAD because their treating doctor did not provide a prognosis.
  4. If you think you may wish to access voluntary assisted dying, it is important to collect and retain written confirmation of your diagnosis and prognosis (if you have one). Your doctor may not wish to support your VAD request and this documentation will be useful for the doctors who complete your VAD assessments.
  5. Talk to your doctor about VAD. In South Australia, your doctor is prohibited from talking to you about VAD until you mention it.
  6. If your doctor is reluctant to discuss VAD, or does not wish to complete the VAD training, or is unable or unwilling to provide a six or 12 month prognosis, contact the VAD Care Navigators in SA Health. Care Navigators can identify a VAD trained doctor for you to consult.
  7. You will be assessed by two different VAD trained doctors who will need to confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria. VAD training takes about six hours and can be completed online.
  8. Once assessed as eligible, you can decide if and when to make a written request; you can withdraw from the process at any stage and you are not required to continue with the request.
  9. When making your written request you will need to nominate a Contact Person who will be responsible for managing any remaining drugs. You will also need two witnesses to your written request. Your doctor or Care Navigator can assist you in finding witnesses.
  10. Pharmacists will deliver the VAD substance to you at your home or place of residence.
  11. The VAD process emphasises self administration, however If you are unable to swallow the drugs, your doctor can request a special permit for doctor administration.
  12. There is no requirement for a doctor to be in attendance when you take the VAD substance. You can discuss this with your doctor and decide who you wish to be with you at the time. You can have family and friends with you.
  13. All public hospitals and hospices will have information about VAD and will support every step in the VAD process.
  14. If you have been assessed as eligible for VAD, and there is a possibility that you may be transferred to a hospice or private hospital, you should request a copy of their VAD policy. You may need to make alternative arrangements if the hospice does not support VAD on their premises. For example, a hospice or private hospital managed by Catholic Health Australia, such as Calvary, has a policy of not supporting VAD on their premises. You may wish to consider stating in your Advance Care Directive that you do not wish to be transferred to a Catholic or Lutheran managed service.
  15. If you live in a Residential Aged Care house or apartment it is considered by law to be your home and you can request any medical service to be provided in your home, including VAD, regardless of the policy of the facility managers.
  16. The VAD legislation does not allow you to request VAD in an Advance Care Directive. This is mainly because at every step in the process you must have decision making capacity. Similarly, a person with dementia would not be eligible for VAD unless they still had decision making capacity and were assessed as having less than 12 months to live.

VAD Review Board Reports

The VAD Review Board publishes quarterly and annual reports on the implementation of VAD in South Australia. These reports contain statistics, background and stories which inform the community on how VAD is managed.

All reports are published on the SA Health website here.

VADSA Factsheets 49 and 50 summarise the data provided in the quarterly and annual reports. (link to Factsheets page)