The first terminally ill person has been granted permission to have a medically assisted death under Victoria's historic euthanasia laws.

Key points: One terminally ill Victorian has now been given permission to access euthanasia

One terminally ill Victorian has now been given permission to access euthanasia The lethal dose, which has not yet been used, will be dispensed from the Alfred Hospital

The lethal dose, which has not yet been used, will be dispensed from the Alfred Hospital The voluntary assisted dying program has come under fire as difficult to navigate, with secrecy surrounding which doctors are qualified under the scheme

The ABC understands the permit was granted to a person in recent weeks.

No details on the person's age or illness is available, with the Department of Health and Human Services refusing to confirm details about doctors and people accessing voluntary assisted dying.

"The Victorian model for the voluntary assisted dying system is working," a spokesperson said.

"We know that doctors are talking to patients about voluntary assisted dying and are carrying out assessments.

"It is giving people at the end of their life a genuine and compassionate choice over the manner and timing of their death."

Victoria's assisted dying laws came into force on June 19 after passing the parliament in 2017 with support of Premier Daniel Andrews and the majority of his cabinet.

The laws were designed to be the most conservative euthanasia laws in the world, with only 150 people expected to use the scheme each year.

Patients must meet strict criteria to qualify, including having a terminal illness with no more than six months to live, or 12 months if the patient has a neurodegenerative illness like motor neurone disease.

Patients must initiate a conversation with their doctor, see a second doctor specialising in their illness and make three requests.

Once a permit is granted, the drug can be dispensed from the Alfred Hospital in a special locked box.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 41 seconds 1 m 41 s How pharmacists will dispense drugs to eligible Victorians under the state's assisted dying laws

Already the scheme has come under fire for being hard to use, with one couple telling ABC Radio Melbourne of their struggles with the bureaucracy in trying to access the scheme.

Under the state's laws, it is not compulsory for doctors to assist a patient who wants to die.

There are also fears there are not enough qualified doctors.

The ABC understands two government-appointed "navigators" — people hired to assist patients and their families — also do not have access to a list of qualified doctors.

The restrictions have led to the navigators cold-calling specialists and doctors to check if they had the relevant training.