Queensland Medical Research Identifies Structural Barriers Hindering General Practitioner Participation in Voluntary Assisted Dying

QUT research finds that administrative burdens and lack of funding are preventing Queensland GPs from participating in voluntary assisted dying.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 20, 2026, 9:19 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Queensland University of Technology

The Essential Role of General Practice in End of Life Care

General practitioners in Queensland are increasingly recognized as the primary providers of compassionate care for patients exploring voluntary assisted dying, or VAD. According to a new study published in the Australian Journal of General Practice, the long-term relationships and holistic training of GPs make them uniquely suited to support patients through the legal and medical complexities of the state's VAD legislation. Lead author Dr. Laura Ley Greaves noted that because these doctors are often the first point of contact for individuals nearing the end of life, their involvement is critical for maintaining continuity of care during a highly sensitive period.

Navigating a Complex and Time Intensive Administrative Framework

Despite their suitability, many medical professionals report that the current system design creates a prohibitive workload. The research, which tracked 12 Queensland GPs during the first year of the state’s VAD laws, highlighted that the paperwork required is often viewed as overly complex and exceptionally time-intensive. Doctors expressed significant concern regarding the potential for errors, particularly among those who only facilitate VAD cases on an infrequent basis. This administrative burden, paired with ongoing confusion regarding specific patient eligibility criteria, has discouraged some practitioners from fully engaging with the program.

Centralized Health Systems and Community Access Disparities

Queensland’s specific model for delivering VAD differs significantly from other Australian states, with approximately 90 percent of cases currently handled through the public health system. While this centralized approach was designed to ensure statewide access, researchers found it has inadvertently limited the opportunities for community-based GPs to participate. Dr. Ley Greaves pointed out that while the public system provides a necessary safety net, the lack of integration with private general practice can disrupt the patient-doctor relationship, forcing individuals to seek care from unfamiliar providers at the end of their lives.