Voluntary Assisted Dying Regulation 2022

1Short title

This regulation may be cited as the Voluntary Assisted Dying Regulation 2022.

2Commencement

This regulation commences on 1 January 2023.

3Other requirements for prescribing—Act, s 67

(1)This section prescribes other requirements for section 67 of the Act.

(2)The coordinating practitioner must state the following information on the prescription for the voluntary assisted dying substance—

(a)the coordinating practitioner’s name;

(b)the place where the coordinating practitioner usually practices;

(c)the coordinating practitioner’s phone number;

(d)the date the prescription is issued;

(e)the address of the person who is accessing voluntary assisted dying.

(3)The coordinating practitioner must sign the prescription.

4Labelling requirements for voluntary assisted dying substance—Act, s 71

(1)This section prescribes labelling requirements for section 71 of the Act.

(2)The authorised supplier must attach a label to the outside of the container or package of the voluntary assisted dying substance stating the following information—

(a)the name, address and telephone number of the place where the authorised supplier supplied the substance;

(b)the approved name or brand name of the substance;

(c)the form and strength of the substance;

(d)the total quantity of the substance in the container or package;

(e)the words ‘keep out of reach of children’ in red capital letters on a white background;

(f)the name of the person who is accessing voluntary assisted dying;

(g)the unique identifying number given to the prescription for the supply of the substance by the authorised supplier;

(h)the date the substance is supplied;

(i)the date on which the substance is due to expire.

(3)Also, the authorised supplier must attach another label to the outside of the container or package of the voluntary assisted dying substance stating the following information—

(a)that the purpose of the dose of the substance is to cause death;

(b)that the substance must be stored in accordance with the Act;

(c)that any unused or remaining substance must be disposed of in accordance with the Act.

(4)A word required under subsection (2) or (3) to be written on a label must—

(a)be written in the English language; and

(b)be written in letters that are at least 1.5mm in height; and

(c)for a word other than a word mentioned in subsection (2)(e)—be written in a colour that provides a distinct contrast to the background colour.

(5)In this section—

approved name see the Poisons Standard, part 1.

5Other requirements for supplying—Act, s 73

(1)This section prescribes other requirements for section 73 of the Act.

(2)The authorised supplier must not supply the voluntary assisted dying substance if the prescription for the substance was issued more than 6 months before the day the substance is to be supplied.

(3)The authorised supplier must keep the prescription for the voluntary assisted dying substance for at least 2 years after the day the substance was supplied.

6Storage of voluntary assisted dying substance—Act, s 74

(1)This section prescribes requirements for section 74 of the Act.

(2)The person must store the voluntary assisted dying substance in a box—

(a)that is not easily penetrable; and

(b)that is lockable with a lock of sturdy construction.

(3)The person must immediately lock the box and keep the box locked unless the voluntary assisted dying substance is being prepared, administered or disposed of.

7Other requirement for disposal—Act, s 79

(1)For section 79 of the Act, the authorised disposer or administering practitioner must personally destroy the voluntary assisted dying substance or any unused or remaining substance.

(2)In this section—

destroy, a voluntary assisted dying substance or unused or remaining substance, means dispose of the substance in a way that renders it unusable and unidentifiable by any person.

8Function of board to record and keep information—Act, s 117

For section 117(1)(d) of the Act, the following information is prescribed—

(a)the number of people assessed, whether as eligible or ineligible, for access to voluntary assisted dying in a first assessment;

(b)the number of people assessed, whether as eligible or ineligible, for access to voluntary assisted dying in a consulting assessment;

(c)for each person assessed in a first assessment—

(i)the sex of the person; and

(ii)the age of the person; and

(iii)the region where the person lives;

(d)for each person assessed as eligible to access voluntary assisted dying in a first assessment and consulting assessment—the disease, illness or medical condition with which the person has been diagnosed;

(e)the number of completed requests for voluntary assisted dying, as defined under section 117(2) of the Act;

(f)for each completed request for voluntary assisted dying—

(i)whether the person has died, and if so, whether the person died—

(A)following self-administration of a voluntary assisted dying substance; or

(B)following the administration of a voluntary assisted dying substance by an administering practitioner; or

(C)without the administration of a voluntary assisted dying substance; or

(ii)whether the request was discontinued;

(g)for each person who has made a final request—the period between the first request and the final request;

(h)the number of medical practitioners who have been involved in requests for, or the provision of, voluntary assisted dying;

(i)the number of nurse practitioners who have been involved in the provision of voluntary assisted dying;

(j)the number of nurses who have been involved in the provision of voluntary assisted dying.