All South Australians are entitled to high-quality end of life and palliative care and the introduction of safe, accessible, and compassionate voluntary assisted dying now gives eligible South Australians with a terminal illness choice at the end of life.

Voluntary assisted dying is now available to eligible South Australians following the passing of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 (the Act) in South Australian Parliament on 24 June 2021.

Effective from 31 January 2023, voluntary assisted dying enables eligible people to voluntarily access and self-administer, or in some circumstances have a medical practitioner administer, a medication that will cause their death in accordance with the steps and process set out in the Act.

Knowing your choices

If you are living with a life-limiting illness, it is important you understand your treatment options, are supported to make informed decisions, make your wishes clear and understand your rights.

The Knowing Your Choices: Information for People Considering Voluntary Assisted Dying Patient Information Booklet provides people considering voluntary assisted dying with information about the processes and safeguards in place to access voluntary assisted dying in South Australia.

Voluntary Assisted Dying Care Navigator Service

To help and support you to navigate voluntary assisted dying and understand all of your options, the South Australian Voluntary Dying Care Navigator Service (SAVAD-CNS) navigator service is available to you, your family, friends, carers and health practitioners.

Care navigators are nursing and allied health professionals with experience in complex and end of life care who can respond to queries related to voluntary assisted dying, facilitate connections between services, and support referrals to participating medical practitioners. 

The SAVAD-CNS provides:

• general information about end-of-life care services, including voluntary assisted dying and bereavement support
• individualised support for people accessing voluntary assisted dying
• assistance connecting people accessing voluntary assisted dying with appropriate medical practitioners and health services participating in voluntary assisted dying
• access to voluntary assisted dying support packages
• support for medical practitioners and health services
• education and training for health services.

SAVAD-CNS can be contacted Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm: