The report, covering the period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, marks the first full year of reporting since the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022 came into effect on 28 November 2023.
Board Chair Professor Jenni Millbank reflected on this growth, noting: “While we do not yet have two full years of data to report, it is clear that voluntary assisted dying activity in NSW has increased during this time. This trend is consistent with reports from other Australian jurisdictions.”
She highlighted that compared with the previous reporting period, there has been an 18 per cent increase in monthly requests and a 26 per cent increase in monthly assessments.
One of the defining features of the NSW framework is that patients can choose whether to self-administer the VAD substance or have it administered by an authorised practitioner.
Of the 1028 people who proceeded with a VAD death during the reporting period, four out of five chose practitioner administration, while one in five opted for self-administration.
This demonstrates the importance of flexibility and patient choice in end-of-life care.