Euthanasia
THE hard work starts now, Yes For Compassion board member Colin Gavaghan says. While confident the End of Life Choice referendum would pass, Prof Gavaghan was relieved at the near twothirds support the initiative received.
‘‘There is a workable system there now to be implemented, but decisions are still to be made about funding, who will actually be doing it, and the Medical Council will no doubt want to put their own guidance into it,’’ the University of Otago legal academic said.
‘‘There is a year for that to be done.’’
Prof Gavaghan said it also needed to be confirmed which clinicians — who can opt out on conscientious grounds — would provide endoflife services, and where such services would be provided.
‘‘That could be tricky because we have had indications, from Hospice New Zealand for example, that some institutions won’t want anything to do with it.’’