Voluntary assisted dying activity snapshot (Voluntary Assisted Dying Board Annual Report 2023-24)

First requests for voluntary assisted dying

First request by year, between 2022-23 and June 2024

2022-23* 2023-24 31 Jan 2023 - 30 June 2024
Accepted 115 404 520
Refused 1 6 7
Total 116 404 520

First assessments

first assessments by year, between 2022-23 and June 2024

2022-23* 2023-24 31 Jan 2023 - 30 June 2024
Eligible 101 344 445
Ineligible 8 36 44
Total 109 380 489

Consulting assessments

Consulting assessments by year, between 2022-23 and June 2024

2022-23* 2023-24 31 Jan 2023 - 30 June 2024
Eligible 87 307 394
Ineligible 1 4 5
Total 88 311 399

Permits issued

Permits issued by year, between 2022-23 and June 2024

2022-23* 2023-24 31 Jan 2023 - 30 June 2024
Self-administration 51 229 280
Practitioner administration 17 21 38
Total 68 250 318

Voluntary assisted dying substance dispensed

Substance dispensed by year, between 2022-23 and June 2024

2022-23* 2023-24 31 Jan 2023 - 30 June 2024
Self-administration 45 214 259
Practitioner administration 11 20 31
Total 56 234 290

Voluntary assisted dying deaths**

Deaths by year, between 2022-23 and June 2024

2022-23* 2023-24 31 Jan 2023 - 30 June 2024
Self-administration 28 141 169
Practitioner administration 11 15 26
Total 39 156 195

Voluntary assisted dying deaths as a proportion of all deaths in SA***

Deaths as a proportion of all deaths by year, between 2022-23 and June 2024
2022-23* 2023-24 31 Jan 2023 - 30 June 2024
0.6% 1.0% n/a

Notes

* Figures for 2022-23 cover the 5 months from 31 January to 30 June 2023.

** Deaths from administration of the VAD substance.

***Total deaths in SA in 2022-23 were 15,948 and in 2023-24 were 15,296 (Registrar, BDM)