Medical practitioner to accept or refuse first request
20 Medical practitioner to accept or refuse first request
If a first request is made to a medical practitioner, the practitioner must accept or refuse the request.
The reasons for which the medical practitioner can refuse the first request are as follows —
the practitioner has a conscientious objection to voluntary assisted dying or is otherwise unwilling to perform the duties of a coordinating practitioner;
the practitioner is unable to perform the duties of a coordinating practitioner because of unavailability or some other reason;
the practitioner is required to refuse the request under subsection (3).
The medical practitioner must refuse the first request if the practitioner is not eligible to act as a coordinating practitioner.
Unless subsection (5) applies, the medical practitioner must, within 2 business days after the first request is made —
inform the patient that the practitioner accepts or refuses the request; and
give the patient the information approved by the CEO for the purposes of this section.
If the medical practitioner refuses the first request because the practitioner has a conscientious objection to voluntary assisted dying, the practitioner must, immediately after the first request is made —
inform the patient that the practitioner refuses the request; and
give the patient the information referred to in subsection (4)(b).
This Act’s bill:Explanatory memorandumSecond reading speech
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