A QUEENSLAND coroner has revealed gaping holes in the oversight of the state’s Voluntary Assisted Dying program after a widower took his spouse’s drugs last year.
The man, referred to as ABC in the coroner’s inquest report, was the “contact person” for his spouse’s VAD drugs, who acquired them normally under the law.
The drugs were accompanied by a medical practitioner from their point of origin to the regional home of the couple because of how dangerous the drugs were to life.
Once at the location, the “VAD patient” and “contact person” were given a booklet on how to mix and administer the drugs, and told to keep them safe.
Coroner David O’Connell said in his report that the VAD laws provided the dangerous drugs to people with no medical training, no regulatory oversight and “in a period of great personal and emotional turmoil”.
The findings also showed the man, ABC, was left with the drugs in his home for eight days after his spouse’s death and six days after the date for retrieval for unused VAD drugs had passed.
“I think the Queensland Government should hang their heads in shame,” Townsville Bishop Tim Harris said.
“This incident is very sad and it could have been prevented if there has been tighter protocols.”
Bishop Harris said the “whole VAD scheme has been championed by the Queensland Government in terms of a great achievement”.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said.
“There is no achievement with Doctor Assisted Suicide, only the abandonment of some of our most vulnerable human beings.
“I continue to argue for the best palliative care regime possible which, if enacted, would negate VAD and help highlight the serious need to truly accompany the dying.
“To accompany means we never give up on anyone let alone collude to deliberately end someone’s life and as we see in this case VAD lethal drugs have fallen into the wrong hands resulting in an unauthorised and unnecessary death.”
Mr O’Connell also criticised the lack of oversight on who the “contact person” was.
His findings showed ABC had been medically diagnosed with depression and used medication for it.
“The fact that ABC had been medically diagnosed with depression and took medication was not something the VAD authorities considered, or even enquired on, when approving them to be a Contact Person. Indeed, there are simply no checks or enquiries of the Contact Person’s suitability,” he said.
“At the inquest it was conceded that a person is required to undergo greater identity checks to enter a nightclub in Brisbane then to become a Contact Person.”
Mr O’Connell recommended that a health practitioner be present for self-administered VAD drugs.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the government would consider the coroner’s recommendations.
