Quebec is set to invest about $10 million per year to improve palliative care, a move that comes ahead of the new law on medically assisted death, coming into force on Dec. 10.
Health Minister Gaetan Barrette said the investment will not make access to assisted suicide any easier because the Medical Aid in Dying law is quite specific about the criteria required to receive a doctor’s help to end their lives.
The criteria include the type of terminal illness they have, their type of suffering and the expressed pre-authorization of the patient and two doctors.
The new funding will help a broad range of patients who are at the end of their lives.
The bill will also make obtaining appropriate palliative care a basic right and stipulates there should be more help for caregivers. The announcement included $4.5 million to help with caregivers, including giving them breaks to recharge physically before going back to taking care of their loved ones.
The government will provide $1,000 to each family so they can hire a nurse, for example.
Barrette said where people would prefer to die is important in terms of their comfort and dignity and while many people may need to be in a hospital at the end, for many, the preferred choice is to be at home with loved ones.
“We want for citizens of this province to have a clear choice so that's the reason why. We are expecting, we are aiming, we're sending a goal to have people dying at home with their loved ones going from 11 per cent today to 20 per cent five years from now,” said Barrette.
Eligibility forms for the Medical Aid in Dying law require one to state their intention to ask for it and will be available at the Quebec Health Insurance Board (RAMQ) and in notaries' offices.
