The new euthanasia laws will come into force on June 19 next year, allowing terminally ill adults who only have about six months to live and meet other eligibility criteria access to a lethal substance.

The Victorian Healthcare Association has been tasked with writing the "model of care" document that will guide hospitals through the euthanasia process – from when someone first asks about wanting to die, through to the taking of a lethal drug.

While Melbourne's key Catholic hospitals have already expressed their firm opposition to the practice (and will not be required to participate), the document will also give guidance about how staff in these institutions can sensitively refer people on to participating services.

Mr Symondson said it was an "ethical expectation" that doctors would not stand in the way of people trying to access a legal procedure.

While no health service will be forced into providing a euthanasia services, doctors willing to be involved can still be hampered by their employers, in the same way that Catholic hospitals in Victoria do not allow their clinicians to undertake abortions.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy explained that a health service could prevent clinicians from providing voluntary assisted dying as part of its code of conduct or terms of agreement with its employees.

"Practitioners who don't wish to comply with these arrangements are obviously welcome to seek employment elsewhere," Ms Hennessy said.

She said that some health services may not be able to provide voluntary assisted dying because of a lack of staff expertise, rather than because of the organisation's values.

It is understood that most of Victoria's major public hospitals have been working towards facilitating euthanasia, if patients request it.

Western Health, which operates Footscray and Sunshine hospitals, was the first to confirm that as a "secular public health service" it would allow its staff to assist in legal euthanasia, and also respect the views of those who see the law as incompatible with their personal beliefs.

"Western Health supports the decision of clinicians and staff to participate in the implementation of the law, but respects the decision of those who do not wish to be involved," said Iresha Herath, general counsel for Western Health.

Other hospitals were nervous about commenting in detail about the controversial issue, only responding briefly, if at all.

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre said it was "engaging with staff" about the introduction of the laws, while the Royal Melbourne Hospital said it was involved in workshops held by the health department to understand how the legislation would be implemented.

The Alfred Hospital and Northern Health said it was too early in the process to comment, while Peninsula Health had "nothing to add".

Monash Health and Eastern Health did not respond.