Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021

This section applies if a person is referred to a medical practitioner for a consulting assessment under section 25, 36 or 47.

The medical practitioner must refuse the referral if the practitioner is not eligible to act as a consulting practitioner.

The medical practitioner may refuse the referral if the practitioner—

has a conscientious objection to voluntary assisted dying or is otherwise unwilling to perform the duties of a consulting practitioner; or

is unavailable or otherwise unable to perform the duties of a consulting practitioner.

The medical practitioner must, within the times mentioned in subsection (5)—

decide whether to accept or refuse the referral; and

inform the person and the coordinating practitioner for the person of the decision and, for a decision to refuse the referral, the reason for the decision.

For subsection (4) the following times apply—

if the medical practitioner has a conscientious objection to voluntary assisted dying—immediately after the referral is made;

in any other case—within 2 business days after the referral is made.