On Thursday 2 March 2023, Dying with Dignity NSW hosted a very informative webinar on The Importance of Advance Care Planning. 

Although by the end of 2023 people living in NSW will be able access the new Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) law, for most people Advance Care Planning will still be the most effective way to ensure that your loved ones and health providers know what matters most to you and respect your treatment preferences.

The special guest speakers for the event were Professor Colleen Cartwright and Nurse Anne Mellor

You can watch the full webinar below.

Over 300 people took part in the webinar and for many it was a huge relief to get accurate information on this topic.

About the Presenters

Professor Colleen Cartwright is Emeritus Professor and Chair of the Human Research Ethics Committee of Southern Cross University. She has extensive teaching and research experience in ageing, ethics and medical decisions at the end of life, at national and international levels, with publications in major journals and several book chapters.

She regularly runs information and training sessions on end-of-life care, including advance care planning, informed consent and capacity and use of telehealth, with particular focus on the special needs of people with dementia and their carers. Her research has also covered issues related to voluntary assisted dying, both in Australia and internationally.

Anne Meller is a Clinical Nurse Consultant employed by Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. Her role is to assist adults and those close to them with Advance Care Planning.

She has over 30 years’ experience in aged health care from a variety of positions and settings. She holds a Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing), and has completed postgraduate studies in Gerontology, Public Health and Health Administration. She has published several papers in peer reviewed journals. She was a principal investigator in a recent NSW Health funded study to train and support clinicians via an outpatient setting to discuss ACP options with their patients.