Making the law work better for people affected by cancer, their carers and health professionals

Common legal issues for people affected by cancer Purpose = Map and analyse laws and policies that impact on people affected by cancer Educate people affected by cancer, carers, health professionals Identify areas for law/policy reform

Focus areas for project ACCESS TO INSURANCE – esp life and travel insurance  For people with cancer, those who have finished active treatment, or those with a genetic predisposition for cancer – looking at the extent of discrimination, measures to reduce it, compliance with the law and remedies. WORKPLACE RIGHTS  For people with cancer and those who have finished active treatment – what are the barriers to returning to work, employers’ compliance with the law and remedies. END OF LIFE DECISION-MAKING  How people make and communicate their wishes about treatment at the end of life – substitute decision makers, advance care planning  Legal clarification of right to refuse treatment  Educational needs of health professionals about legal issues.

Focus areas for project REGULATION OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES  To ensure the safety of complementary therapies, and protect patients from therapies that may be harmful INFORMED CONSENT  The complexity of informed consent in relation to treatment, including informed financial consent. PATIENT TRANSPORT ASSISTANCE  Improving access to patient transport and support; ensure benefits equal to those in other jurisdictions; national approach

Enhancing Community Knowledge and Engagement with Law at the End of Life ARC Linkage Grant: QUT Health Law Research Centre, McCabe Centre, CCV and other partners in QLD and NSW How do people understand and act upon their legal right to participate in decisions about medical treatment for themselves or loved ones at the end of life? – Legal rights and duties in relation relation to decisions about life-sustaining treatment; – Current practice when making decisions about life-sustaining treatment (including where conflict with health professionals and health systems arises); and – How they can be better supported to make decisions that accord with their legal rights and duties?

Advance Care Planning for GPs McCabe Centre, Gippsland Region Palliative Care Consortium and the Office of the Public Advocate Train rural and regional GPs to formalise advance care planning and end-of-life care discussions in their standard practice. Two education sessions: – clinical insights on conversations about death and dying; – legal frameworks governing advance care planning in Victoria

Exercise Think about the ways in which laws and policies impact on people affected by NCDs in your country or region In groups of 3 or 4, answer the following questions: – What is the issue? – How does it impact on people with NCDs? – What rights/laws/policies are engaged?