ABC News: Alexandra Alvaro
)Tasmania has passed voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation making it the third jurisdiction in Australia to do so, after Victoria and Western Australia.
Ceara Rickard, who has been given a terminal diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer, is relieved it will now be legal to end her life in the late stages of her illness.
"I don't have a death wish, I would love to live until I was 80 or 90, at the same time there will come a point where my body gives out," she said.
How long until it can be accessed?
Not for a while, there is an 18 month implementation period during which a Commission of Voluntary Assisted Dying will be established.
The Commission will oversee the legal administration of VAD, and will work out the finer details of how the legislation will be implemented.
"All the guidelines and arrangements for their operation, the training program for doctors and nurses who are going to be involved, education and information material," Margaret Singh, spokeswoman for Dying with Dignity Tasmania said.
ABC News: Rhiana Whitson
)"It's going to be a very busy time to get that done,"
Medical professionals will need to complete the training developed by the Commission before they can help someone access VAD, and the implementation period will also allow time for that workforce to be built.
"It's going to take a while to make this bill operational and also for GPs to do the training and get credentialed," Tim Jackson, chair of the Royal Australian College of GPs Tasmania faculty, said.
The implementation period began from December 4, which means the legislation should be operational by the middle of next year.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to access voluntary assisted dying someone must be 18, have decision making capacity, be acting voluntarily and be suffering intolerably from a medical condition that is advanced, incurable and irreversible and will cause the person's death.
They must also be an Australia citizen or have resided there for at least three continuous years, and for at least 12 months in Tasmania immediately before making the first request to access VAD.
There will be no access VAD for people with mental illness or disability.
How do you get access?
Three requests must be made to access VAD, each of which comes with checks and balances.
ABC News: Laura Beavis
)Mr Jackson says the RACGP is happy with the protections.
Initially patients will be able to connect with their normal GP to discuss what the options are.
To then make the first request they must receive information from an authorised medical practitioner in person (not by audio-visual link).
This information should include details about their medical condition, any possible treatments, and what palliative care options are available.
The first request can be made verbally or in writing, after which a decision is made about the person's eligibility.
If eligible, a second request can then be made, after waiting at least 48 hours.
That waiting period can be waived if the person is likely to die within seven days or will lose their decision making capacity in 48 hours.
The second request must be written and signed by the person requesting access to VAD, or someone they have nominated.
It must also be witnessed by two people who cannot be medical professionals involved, and at least one must not be a family member or benefit financially from the person's death.
If the second request determines the person is eligible there is a referral to another medical practitioner to assess eligibility.
If all these hurdles are passed a final request can be made in writing.
What happens once someone is granted permission to access VAD?
Once all three requests have been approved, the Commission will check everything is in order before authorising a prescription.
The exact drug that will be used is yet to be determined by the Commissioner of Voluntary Assisted Dying.
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)"I understand that in Victoria it's a combination of drugs, one of them, I think, is Nembutal," Ms Singh said.
"It will need to be worked out in Tasmania exactly what the best combinations are to make sure that people have the best end of life in that situation."
The primary medical practitioner will access the drug from a pharmacist, which will be kept under lock and key.
A final written and signed permission is then given by the person before the drug is administered — either by self-administration or by medical professional.
Mr Jackson said the mode of delivery, either an oral tablet or injection, isn't certain yet.
Will all doctors offer it?
Not necessarily. A medical professional will need at least five years experience to be authorised, and will need to have successfully completed the approved VAD training course.
They also cannot be related to the person seeking to access VAD and must not gain financially from the person's death.
Even then, they can refuse the request without needing to explain why.
If this happens, the doctor must let the person know they have either accepted or refused the request within 48 hours.
"If the patient's own GP for whatever reason, morally or ethically, is unable to help the patient then the GP will be able to refer the patient to a GP who is happy to do that and has done the training," Mr Jackson said.
Mr Jackson said there is confidence there are enough doctors willing to provide access.
Ms Singh expects the number of doctors willing to offer VAD to grow.
"The situation everywhere that assisted dying legislation has been implemented is that although there are small numbers of doctors in the first year or so, over time that increases to more doctors feeling more comfortable about providing it," she said.
Ms Singh added that some measures might need to be worked out to ensure access is equitable in more regional parts of the state.
