First report into assisted dying in NZ released

The first yearly report into assisted dying in New Zealand has been released.

As of March 31, 66 people have had an assisted death since it was legalised.

Almost three-quarters had the assisted death at their home or another person's home, 17% had it at an aged care facility, 6% in district health board facilities, such as hospitals, and 4% had it in a hospice.

Assisted dying became legal in November last year, with the report covering from November 7 to March 31.

Forty people had been found ineligible for assisted dying.

The most common reason was that they did not have a terminal illness likely to end their life within six months, according to the report.

That accounted for 26 of those deemed ineligible. Another 17 was because they were not in an advanced state of irreversible decline in physical capability, 16 was due to not experiencing unbearable suffering unable to be relieved in a tolerable manner, seven was due to the person not being competent to make an informed decision and two were not a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.

There had been 206 applications for assisted dying.

Of the 206, 59 people were still in the process of assessment or preparation for assisted dying, 81 people did not continue the process due to being ineligible, withdrawing or dying and 66 had an assisted death.

The diagnosis category of applicants was made up of 65% of people who had cancer, 10% who had a neurological condition, and the rest either had another diagnosis or the diagnosis was not known.

Fifty-three per cent of people were aged between 65-85, 21% were aged 85 and over, another 21% were 45 to 64-years-old and 4% were aged between 18-44. Seventy-nine per cent were Pākehā who had applied (162 people), 6% were Māori (12), and no Pacific people had applied.

There was 80% of applicants were receiving palliative care when they applied for assisted dying.

There had been four formal complaints.

Three were by the assisted dying applicant. It included complaining about a practitioner’s interpersonal style and communication and it was upheld. Another was about a delay in being connected with a medical practitioner, which was upheld, and the last was that the person was found ineligible and was unhappy with the outcome - that was not upheld.

Another complaint by a family member was about the experience of assisted death in a public hospital.

That complaint was referred to the Health and Disability Commissioner and is under investigation.