Objective: Since 2019, voluntary assisted dying (VAD) has been progressively legalised across Australian states and territories. Despite increasing uptake and government calls to expand the end-of-life care workforce, the role of clinical psychologists remains undefined in policy and practice. International research suggests psychologists can play a critical role in supporting patients’ decision-making, assessing capacity, and providing support to patients and families during end-of-life decision-making. However, no published research to date has explored how clinical psychologists in Australia are involved in VAD. This qualitative study aimed to examine how clinical psychologists engage with patients considering or pursuing VAD, and how they conceptualise a more integrated and sustainable role within this evolving area of care.
Sample and setting: Twenty clinical psychologists from across Australia, with and without experience supporting VAD patients, were recruited via professional networks and snowball sampling.
Procedure: Participants completed an online demographic and practice survey and took part in semi-structured interviews exploring their VAD-related experiences, views on preparedness and training, perceived roles and responsibilities, and reflections on ethical or clinical challenges. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results: Key themes and subthemes will be presented, capturing participants’ reflections on the unique contributions psychologists can offer, the ethical and emotional complexity of this work, and current system-level barriers to effective involvement.
Conclusion and clinical implications: This study provides novel insight into the current role of clinical psychologists in Australia’s VAD landscape. Findings will help inform policy development, professional training, and future practice guidelines to ensure psychologically informed, patient-centred support for individuals and families navigating voluntary assisted dying.