By Isobel Signorini

Quality, Risk and Technology Manager @ Focus ACT

As of 3 November 2025, the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2024 officially came into effect across Canberra and the broader ACT region.

When one of your loved ones, or someone you are the guardian of, is eligible for VAD, it means they are travelling a road marked by pain and suffering that even the best support cannot ease. Wanting to keep them around for "just a little longer" is understandable, but it can unintentionally place your footsteps ahead of theirs. You may feel angry, confused, upset, or even in denial - these feelings are completely natural! But it's important to recognise that every step towards their passing should be chosen by them and matched alongside them by those who walk with them. VAD offers a legal pathway for individuals experiencing unbearable suffering due to a terminal illness to have a compassionate, dignified end-of-life option.

At Focus ACT, we understand that end-of-life decisions are deeply personal and often emotional for those involved. As an NDIS Provider, we place importance in respecting participants' rights to choice and control throughout the journey of their lives, which includes the choice to die with dignity. We support VAD because it offers a compassionate option for those who meet the legal criteria. Our role is to ensure that your loved one's journey is one where every breath is met with support, understanding, and respect for their autonomy.

When news first broke that VAD would be legalised in the ACT, Focus ACT quickly jumped to understand what this meant for our organisation and the people we support. On 22 September, we attended an ACT Government-hosted Voluntary Assisted Dying Forum. The advice received was that NDIS providers must have policies in place to guide their response to VAD by 3 November 2025.

So, that's exactly what we did! We drafted a comprehensive internal policy that reflects our values of dignity, respect, and informed choice. The policy was submitted to the ACT Government for review by an experienced Nurse Practitioner and Director within the Voluntary Assisted Dying Implementation Taskforce. With their oversight and guidance, we refined our approach and finalised it with perfect timing for the legislation's commencement, which is now in effect.

The Australian Human Rights Commission's issues paper provided the framework to underpin the policy. The paper explores euthanasia through the lens of international and domestic human rights law, including the right to life, freedom from cruel treatment, privacy, and the rights of people with disability. Key elements of this framework include:

Right to Life - Your loved one's choices in life are protected and respected.

Focus ACT acknowledges the fundamental importance of the right to life, as protected under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). In developing our VAD policy, we have carefully considered how to balance this protection with the autonomy of individuals who seek relief from intolerable suffering. Our approach ensures that life is respected, while also recognising that for some, the right to life includes the right to choose how and when their life ends, particularly in the context of terminal illness.

Freedom from Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment - VAD is an option for your loved one to be relieved of suffering

Our procedures are built on the foundation that support is provided ethically and with dignity in all aspects of a person's life choices. The VAD policy is grounded in the belief that no person should be forced to endure unbearable suffering, especially when palliative care is no longer effective. Informed by Article 7 of the ICCPR, Focus ACT supports VAD as a compassionate response to those experiencing pain that cannot be relieved through other means, ensuring that individuals are not subjected to cruel or degrading treatment in their final days.

Right to Privacy - Your conversations with us will remain confidential

Focus ACT respects the deeply personal nature of decisions relating to one's body and death. Drawing on Article 17 of the ICCPR, our Privacy statement, and Element 2 of the NDIS Code of Conduct, our VAD policy protects the privacy of participants and ensures that their choices are made freely, without external pressure, supported by the expectation that staff understand the sensitivity and confidential nature of VAD discussions and treatment.

Rights of People with a Disability - Your loved one in the highest regard

As a disability support provider, Focus ACT is acutely aware of the need to protect vulnerable individuals from coercion or discrimination. Our VAD policy reflects the Human Rights Commission's emphasis on safeguarding the rights of people with disability, ensuring that an individual's decisions are not driven by the views of others, are voluntary, well-informed, and free from undue influence. In that light, Focus ACT will never agree to coercion from families or decision-makers, and we are obligated to report those instances to relevant bodies.

Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion - Your views matter too

Focus ACT recognises that beliefs about VAD vary widely, and our policy respects the diverse moral and religious views of participants, the people important to them and the people who support them. In line with Article 18 of the ICCPR, we support the right to conscientious objection and provide guidance for staff who may choose not to participate. For families, this means your views will be honoured, but so will your loved one's autonomy to make their own end-of-life decisions.

As the ACT Government continues to roll out training and oversight mechanisms, including the Voluntary Assisted Dying Oversight Board, Focus ACT will remain engaged and responsive. We will monitor developments, participate in sector discussions, and ensure our practices remain aligned with best-practice standards.

Our workers can access the policy in full via the Flowlogic platform.

Our stakeholders and broader-community can access the policy by contacting us or visiting our office. We're here to help!

For more information about Voluntary Assisted Dying in the ACT, visit the ACT Government VAD page.