Dr Charles Douglas2
1Hunter New England Local Health District (NSW Health), Newcastle, Australia, 2University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
Biography:
Dr. Charles Douglas is Clinical Director of Voluntary Assisted Dying for Hunter New England LHD in NSW. Over the last 25 years he has published qualitative, quantitative and philosophical papers on voluntary assisted dying and the role of intention in end of life care. He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Clinical Ethics and Health Law at the University of Newcastle. He is a practising oncology surgeon and has a law degree (Juris Doctor / Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice). He is married with 6 children and he lives in Newcastle, NSW.
Abstract:
Long before voluntary assisted dying became a legal reality in Australia, I published qualitative, quantitative and philosophical papers on VAD and the role of intention in end of life care. As an academic I found it easy to ‘sit on the fence’ and to see the pros and cons of legalising what was previously called ‘euthanasia and assisted suicide’. I was particularly interested in the question of whether there was a ‘morally relevant difference’ between letting patients die (which has always happened, on a routine basis, in medical care), and killing patients (to avoid euphemism). In 2023 I found myself with an opportunity to become Clinical Director of Voluntary Assisted Dying for one of the New South Wales’ Local Health Districts as the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act (2022) (NSW) came into force. This role required me to become an authorised VAD practitioner. I present here reflections on my experience at the coalface of VAD over the last 9 months, and look at how my research succeeded and failed at predicting the future. In particular I consider whether the experiences of patients and health care professionals are what we anticipated they would be.