At the 72nd Annual Conference of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) hundreds of nurses and midwives endorsed an updated position on assisted dying, which expressed the need for legislative change to occur in New South Wales.
You can read the NSWNMA position statement on assisted dying here.
This week, a private members bill that would give terminally ill NSW residents aged 25 or over the legal right to end their own lives with medical assistance was introduced to parliament. MPs from the major parties will be granted a conscience vote when the bill is debated in November.
Dying with Dignity, NSW is pursuing a change in the law to allow people who are suffering the right to die with dignity.
Seven countries around the globe have legalised assisted dying and it is a very important issue for the nursing profession. Given our compassion for those who suffer and our concern for quality of life being afforded to every individual, we must ensure the right balance is achieved and that all sides of the debate are well considered.
The NSWNMA encourages nurses to fill out their local MP’s survey on the Bill and also write to them about the issue. Visit this page to find the resources needed to help build support for the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill (2017).
Find out more: Watch TV producer and presenter Andrew Denton present at the National Press Club of Australia on the topic ‘The Damage Done: The Price Our Community Pays Without A Law for Assisted Dying’. Mr Denton is more recently known for his podcast series ‘Better Off Dead’,