A Catholic network of hospitals and aged care services has stepped up a campaign demanding access to quality palliative care for all Queenslanders before euthanasia is potentially made legal in the state. Their campaign is called “No to Euthanasia”. There must be a better option” .
They will defy Queensland euthanasia laws that force them to allow doctors to administer end-of-life drugs in their facilities.
Catholic Health Australia represents leading hospitals and aged care services. CHA wants supporters to join a letter-writing campaign for “properly resourced” palliative and end-of-life services while taking a stand against Voluntary Assisted Dying laws due to be debated and voted on by Queensland MPs in September.
They say it’s “a radical and dangerous undermining of patient safety, and should be rejected” – The Australian, 20th August
“Allowing unaccredited doctors to enter hospital rooms, with no notice or permission needed, to assist in a medical procedure to help a patient die is a radical and dangerous undermining of patient safety and should be rejected,” said chief executive Toby Hall. “It’s partly why the Queensland Australian Medical Association is so strongly against the lack of protection for faith-based hospital providers.
“It’s also about fairness. The Queensland government is forcing Catholic hospital providers – against our values and beliefs – to open up our facilities to assisted dying. That’s deeply unsettling and shocking to us.”
Palliative care experts estimate an extra $275 million a year is needed to improve palliative care services across the entire state – far more than the $171 million over six years the Queensland Government has pledged so far.
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