16 October 2024
Vince
[FYI request #28699 email]
Tēnā koe Vince
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00068096
Thank you for your email on 9 October 2024, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (Health
NZ) for the following under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Is there any record keeping where an eligible for assistd death service due to suffering from
a terminal il ness that is likely to end their life within six months. But have been
acknowledged the below
1 aged 18 years or over
2 a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand in an advanced state of irreversible
decline in physical capability
3 experiencing unbearable suffering that cannot be relieved in a manner that the person
considers tolerable competent to make an informed decision about assisted dying.
Response
Al patients applying for assisted death must meet the strict criteria to be eligible as set out under
t
he End Of Life Choice Act 2019 (The Act). The person must be:
• aged 18 years or over
• a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand
• suffering from a terminal il ness that is likely to end their life within six months
• in an advanced state of irreversible decline in physical capability
• experiencing unbearable suffering that cannot be relieved in a manner that the person
considers tolerable
• competent to make an informed decision about assisted dying.
A person cannot access assisted dying solely because they have a mental disorder or mental
il ness, have a disability or are of advanced age. However, people with these conditions may be
eligible to access assisted dying if they meet the strict eligibility criteria set out above.
Health NZ is responsible for overseeing and monitoring all operational aspects of the Assisted
Dying Service, including collecting data and generating comprehensive summary reports. These
can be found on our website:
https:/ www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/health-services-and-
programmes/assisted-dying-service/assisted-dying-service-data-and-reporting.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Health NZ may proactively
release a copy of this response on our website. Al requester data, including your name and
contact details, wil be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Michael Nestmann
Manager | Autonomy Team –
Community and Mental Health
Planning, Funding and Outcomes
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand
