This past Saturday June 25th, members of VCH’s Community Engagement Advisory Network (CEAN) gathered at the Trout lake Community Center for our annual spring forum. This year, the topic was medical assistance in dying. The Supreme Court of Canada has decided that provisions of the Criminal Code which in the past prohibited medical assistance in dying are not in keeping with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As of June 6, 2016 patients no longer need a Court exemption and physicians, guided by the law and the advise of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, may provide medical assistance in dying for patients who meet the criteria set out in law.

Eight CEAN members participated on the working group led by Darren Kopetsky, Regional Director of Client Relations and Risk Management, to help develop criteria to assist staff, patient and families who are seeking medical assistance in dying. Darren joined us for the day to inform attendees on the current supports and protocols that VCH has put into place. We also had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Terry Anderson, Clinical Ethicist at VCH, speak about the moral and ethical issues presented by Medical Assistance in Dying for people working in healthcare, as well as patients and families.

More information

For more information on medical assistance in dying visit the client relations and risk management site on VCH Connect. You can find out more about CEAN at http:\cean.vch.ca.