Chamber and committees

Before Linda Towers comes in, I note that our briefing says:

“The Bill contains requirements on information collection, annual reporting and a general review of the legislation after five years. However, it is not clear if this is sufficient to meet human rights requirements.”

If we are talking about setting up a review body or an expert panel to look at assessment of figures and data gathering, is that a challenge in terms of monitoring and evaluating if the legislation comes into place?

Good evening to you both, and thank you for being here. I am just going to pick up on issues with regard to the training and education required—and I am speaking not just in terms of training to identify coercion, but training in general. Can you say a little bit about what has been set up in that respect?

One issue that came up last week was that the bill in Scotland just refers to a “registered medical practitioner”, which could mean foundation year 2 doctors all the way through to consultants. Can you tell us about your process in Canada with regard to education and training? That question is for Dr Green first, I suppose, or perhaps Dr Coelho.

I have just had a thought that takes me back to the participating physicians. Is there any data on how long these physicians have been practising? In the proposed legislation, doctors whom we would consider as being junior could be making the choice whether to assist somebody at the end of their life. I am thinking, too, about medical practitioners such as nurses, pharmacists and doctors who might feel coerced into providing support when they might want to conscientiously object. Do you have data on that?

Okay—thanks. I will leave it there, convener, as I am conscious of time.

Dr Coelho, I think that you wanted to come in, too.

Good morning. I am not a fish expert. I have just looked at the UK Government website, which shows that there are 43 fisheries management plans and five current consultations about cockles, North Sea and Channel sprat, queen scallops, the southern North Sea skates and rays, and other demersal non-quota species. There are a lot of separate species in each fisheries management plan.

Are the fisheries management plans grouped together under demersal and pelagic and, if so, is that to help manage the plans, because similar species are in the same waters? There is also the issue of managing the plans so that it is not just individual species that are looked at.

Thanks—that is helpful.

Professor White mentioned conscientious objection. I have had a constituent who is a health professional contact me about that.

I am interested in how the law in Victoria provides for the option of conscientious objection. There are issues around providing information and support or assessing a person for voluntary assisted dying, or even supplying medication—that would involve pharmacists and nurses, which is who I am thinking about. Will you say a bit more about how the law works in Victoria and elsewhere in relation to supporting persons who conscientiously object?

I forgot to mention that I have an interest, in that I am still a registered nurse, with experience in the perioperative environment and clinical education.

I have a final question. Has there been any assessment of staff who have felt pressure to participate in voluntary assisted dying when they have actually been firmly conscientiously objecting?

Thank you.