Assisted Dying Service

Assisted dying is a health service available in New Zealand since 7 November 2021. These pages provide information about the assisted dying health service including information for the public, information for health professionals and health service providers, and contacts.

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Haere Mai | Welcome to the Assisted Dying Service

Assisted dying involves a person who is experiencing unbearable suffering from a terminal illness taking or being given medication to end their life. There are strict eligibility criteria to have an assisted death. Not everyone with a terminal illness will be eligible. New Zealanders aged 18 or over who have a terminal illness that is likely to end their life within six months may be able to access assisted dying.

The service involves specific steps, medical assessments, and important safeguards. These are to ensure a person is eligible and that they are making the decision for themselves, without pressure from anyone else. The framework for the service, its eligibility criteria and safeguards, are set out in the law, called the End of Life Choice Act 2019. The Assisted Dying Service is provided by Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora and regulated by the Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora.

Contact the Assisted Dying Service for more information


This statutory body maintains the lists of medical and nurse practitioners willing to provide parts of the assisted dying services.

Information about policies, procedures, and staff training for health and disability service providers.

The Registrar’s report is published annually here.

Read about the statutory body’s monitoring and reporting role, and membership.

Processes and contacts for complaints and feedback.

 

About the legal restrictions on the information that can be made public about individual assisted deaths.

Contact the secretariat Assisted Dying Service at the Ministry of Health, the Assisted Dying Service at Te Whatu Ora, the SCENZ Group or the Ministry media team.

Assisted dying is a sensitive topic and may be difficult for some people. If reading the information in these pages raises distressing feelings for you, there is support available.

Call or text 1737 for free to speak to a trained counsellor at any time.

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