A new report has revealed that a majority of aged care providers are making it difficult for elderly West Australians to access voluntary assisted dying (VAD). The findings, released today by Go Gentle Australia, show that three in four of the State's facilities featured in the report had no public information available on VAD or did not support accessing VAD on-site.
Of the WA providers listed, 75 per cent had no public information on end-of-life choices for patients or did not support VAD access on-site. A further 15 per cent provided limited information, while only 10 per cent offered comprehensive information and unrestricted access to VAD. This makes WA the second worst performing State for accessing VAD in aged care, despite being one of the first to pass the legislation.
Providers Named and Shamed
For the first time, the report has published providers' names. Nine out of the 11 providers listed for WA do not have easily accessible information on VAD. Those named include Aegis, Opal Healthcare, Signature Care, Rosewood Care Group, SwanCare Group, Hall & Prior, CraigCare, Bolton Clarke, and Italian Aged Care Incorporated. Regis was the only WA provider that conducted best practice for VAD.
Concerns Raised Over Obligations
Go Gentle Australia chief executive Linda Swan said the findings raise serious questions about whether providers are meeting their obligations under state VAD law and the federal Aged Care Act. She said aged care homes not having public policies on VAD leaves individuals and families to navigate uncertainty at a highly vulnerable time.
“Sadly, this report shows the system is failing older Australians,” she said. “People entering aged care need to know which health services will be available for them and they need to know that their end-of-life choices will be respected and supported. However, far too many aged care homes do not provide this simple information. This is a core obligation under the Aged Care Act and this lack of transparency and inaction raises serious concerns about how these facilities are supporting their residents’ legal right to access VAD.”
Report Recommendations
The report recommends that providers with multiple complaints should be investigated, the State Government should enforce VAD obligations for facilities, health information providers should ensure residents are aware of their rights, and all aged care providers should develop a VAD policy.
Older Persons Advocacy Network chief executive Craig Gear called for urgent change. “It should not be controversial to say that all of us, no matter where we live, are entitled to choose the end-of-life care that is right for us. Where legal, this includes voluntary assisted dying,” he said. “Too often, older people enter residential aged care without knowing whether their end-of-life decisions will be respected. That lack of transparency must change.”
In addition to the report, Go Gentle has rated the largest providers of aged care homes in Australia on how they support people who choose VAD, and published the results in an online database.
