Catholic hospitals ban VAD, forcing dying patients to move
Catholic healthcare providers are restricting access to voluntary assisted dying. This requires terminally ill patients to transfer to other hospitals.
Veronica Wootton, 86, wanted to die on her own terms at the Calvary Mater in Newcastle. When cancer spread to her brain and lungs, she asked for voluntary assisted dying, or VAD.
The Mater refused because it follows Catholic ethics rules against the procedure. Veronica's family had to move her to Belmont Hospital to access the legal end-of-life option.
Calvary Health Care plans to take over Newcastle Private Hospital and ban VAD, IVF, gender-affirming surgeries, and terminations. Advocacy groups warn this could overload other hospitals.
- 86
- Patient age
- Calvary Mater
- Hospital refusing VAD
- Newcastle
- Location
- lungs and brain
- Cancer spread to
Why it mattersTerminally ill people in parts of Newcastle may lose access to a legal end-of-life option without relocating. This adds stress during their final days.
AustraliaNSW patients relying on Catholic health facilities may face barriers to voluntary assisted dying, a legal end-of-life choice in NSW, creating a gap in healthcare access.
