Death bill amended, palliative care boost

Victoria's Labor government has conceded amendments to its controversial assisted dying bill to secure votes and announced more palliative care funding.

CHANGES TO VICTORIA'S PROPOSED ASSISTED-DYING LAWS

* Life expectancy of less than six months, previously 12 months

* Neurodegenerative patients can access the scheme with a life expectancy of 12 months

* Must live in Victoria for at least 12 months

* Patients will be encouraged to tell their family doctor

* Unused lethal medication must be returned within 15 days of death, halving the original time of one month

* Death certificates will have to record "voluntary assisted dying"

* The coroner must be notified of assisted dying deaths

PALLIATIVE CARE FUNDING

* $62 million over five years to improve end-of-life support and palliative care

FUNDING BREAKDOWN

* $19.5 million for specialist doctors and nurses to provide advice in regional areas

* $19.9 million for home-based palliative care across regional and rural Victoria

* $6.25 million to establish a 24-hour expert palliative care advice line

* $6.35 million from 2018-19 to support families of those who accessed the scheme

* $10 million one-off fund for charities of palliative care service delivery to support people's end-of-life choices and assist them to die at home

PALLIATIVE CARE REVIEW

* Examine the way palliative care is funded to address inequities

* Headed by Melbourne Health chairman Robert Doyle AC, deputy chair of St Vincent's Health Australia Patricia Faulkner and former Goulburn Valley Palliative Care chief executive Carmel Smith

Source: Victorian Government


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