Coastal staff invited to tune into webcast on Medical Assistance in Dying Oct. 19

Medical Assistance in Dying: a thoughtful and respectful approach

Medical assistance in dying is now in place throughout Vancouver Coastal Health, after being passed as federal legislation on June 17, 2016. This law, known as the Carter decision by the Supreme Court of Canada, includes criteria for eligibility and other safeguards.

How will you respond?

If you were approached by a client or patient asking about medical assistance in dying, would you know how to respond? Tune into the Vancouver All-Staff Forum webcast Wednesday, October 19 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., and learn about the process and practices around medical assistance in dying. A staff question period will be included in the forum.

Our keynote speaker is Darren Kopetsky, Regional Director, Client Relations and Risk Management, and our panelists represent a range of expertise, from ethics to family perspective, including a physician with experience in the medical assistance in dying process.

“Talking together about medical assistance in dying is very important for us whether we work in acute care or community settings. October’s All-Staff Forum will give us an opportunity for open discussion about this topic that can touch on very personal emotions for many of us, with a focus on our VCH process for supporting staff in sensitively addressing requests by patients and clients for information about medical assistance in dying.”

– Darren Kopetsky, Regional Director, Client Relations and Risk Management

The in-person forum will be at VGH’s Paetzold Auditorium, but staff can also attend one of several facilitated sites or watch from a workstation.

Anyone can connect from a web-accessible device at the webcast link: Vancouver All-Staff Forum – October 19, 2016   Registration is not needed.