Voluntary Assisted Dying Threatens Aged Care Presence in Anglican Church.

The article focuses on the Anglican Church's response to Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) laws in New South Wales (NSW), expressing concerns that moral and legal conflicts may lead the church to exit the aged care industry. Operating through its Anglican Community Services branch, the church has instructed its NSW aged care facilities to adopt a "strategy of minimum compliance," discouraging residents from accessing VAD while referring them only to healthcare professionals and prohibiting staff participation in VAD services. Similar cautious stances are held by other religious organizations such as the Salvation Army and Catholic Health Australia, while the Uniting Church adopts a more permissive approach. VAD, legalized in NSW on November 28, 2023, requires strict eligibility criteria including full cognitive capacity and terminal illness, though some advocates seek expanded access for people with advanced dementia.