Introduction:
Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) is legal across Australia except in the Northern Territory (NT). This piece discusses findings from the public VAD consultation process in the NT conducted between August 2023-April 2024.
Findings:
Consultation highlighted challenges in implementing VAD, including a significant Aboriginal population in remote areas with high chronic disease rates. Ensuring equitable access and cultural safety is crucial. Telehealth could improve access but presents clinical and legal challenges.
Conclusion:
The NT, once a leader in VAD legislation, must now design culturally safe and equitably accessible VAD services. Central in the NT context will be Aboriginal input into the governance, design, implementation and evaluation of VAD.