Rachel Feeney

Rachel Feeney is a Research Fellow at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), working within the Faculty of Business and Law and the Australian Centre for Health Law Research. She is a member of the End of Life Research Program, focusing on legal and policy aspects of end-of-life decision-making. Her work bridges health law and clinical practice, with particular emphasis on voluntary assisted dying and advance care planning.

Rachel holds a PhD and Bachelor of Speech Pathology, both from the University of Queensland. She brings extensive clinical experience as a former speech pathologist who worked across palliative and end-of-life care, intensive care, oncology, and paediatrics settings. This clinical background informs her research approach to health law issues.

Rachel's research interests center on end-of-life decision-making, with specific focus areas including:

• Voluntary assisted dying legislation and implementation
• Advance care planning and directives
• Legal issues for allied health professionals in end-of-life care
• Public understanding of end-of-life law
• Training healthcare professionals on end-of-life legal frameworks
• Consent to medical treatment at end-of-life

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on the practical implementation of voluntary assisted dying laws in Australia. Her work spans multiple disciplines including health law, public health, and clinical practice, with an emphasis on bridging the gap between legal requirements and clinical realities in end-of-life care.

Rachel has contributed significantly to professional development, having served as a clinical consultant for the Voluntary Assisted Dying Training Education Module for Healthcare Workers in Queensland. She has developed training resources for speech pathologists and other allied health professionals on end-of-life law.

As an Associate Supervisor, Rachel is mentoring PhD candidates researching the experiences of medical practitioners following the commencement of Voluntary Assisted Dying in Queensland, working alongside Professors Ben White and Lindy Willmott.

Rachel is an active member of professional organizations including the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Speech Pathology Australia, and the Australian Allied Health in Palliative Care network.