A formal review of the Act by the Ministry of Health (MoH) occurred 3 years after the Act came into force in November 2024. This involved getting feedback from targeted groups (those providing Assisted Dying) and public opinion online about their impression of the EoLCA. From November 2024 reviews of the EoLCA will occur every 5 years. The Government cannot change the Act without applying for a Private Members Bill.
Tanya Unkovich (New Zealand First MP) wants to introduce “Improving access to palliative care Bill” feeling this should be a basic right for all New Zealanders. She trained as a grief counsellor which she found useful caring for her husband dying with cancer 20 years ago. Tanya has since resigned from her post. 

Todd Stephenson (ACT) wants to accept all 25 recommendations that the MoH November 2024 review of EoLCA made.

Organisations for/against Assisted Dying

For

ACT Party

EoL Society (previously called Volunteer Euthanasia Society)

Against

Hospice NZ

Family First

ANZSPM

Euthanasia Free NZ

CMFnz

Doctors Say No

Care Alliance 

2500 people in NZ have requested Assisted Dying since November 2021 with 970 people receiving Assisted Dying.

25 recommendations have been submitted following the MoH review last year.

Many just clarify the Act in more detail but some are more concerning:

  1.  Healthcare professionals (HCP) would be allowed to discuss assisted dying as part of treatment and care options for those approaching End of Life. Currently patients have to bring up the subject of Assisted Dying. What is being taught in Medical schools?
  2. HCPs have to take “reasonable steps” to ensure coersion is not occurring. No recommended way to detect coersion has been suggested with each HCP assessing the ‘best they can’. Nowadays many patients don’t have their own GP who has know them (and possibly their family) for a long time.
  3. The current criteria for AD eligibility is a 6 month or less prognosis and there is a recommendation for this to be extended to 12 months prognosis. Even specialists in Palliative care find prognostication extremely difficult so non-specialist doctors/ & nurse practitioners may find this even harder and less accurate. 
  4. There is a recommendation that care facilities (which may include Rest-homes or disabled facilities) would have to provide AD onsite (if the facility was deemed the’ persons home). If the facility refused to provide this service it could affect their certification.

2500 people in NZ have requested Assisted Dying since November 2021 with 970 people receiving Assisted Dying.

How can Christian HCPs respond to these recommendations?

  1. Pray for a society that values their elderly, vulnerable and disabled.
  2. Write a personal letter to your local MP detailing concerns you have regarding changes in the EoLCA. Personal stories can be very powerful.
  3. Discuss concerns with HCP colleagues and make sure they know what is being proposed.
  4. Look at recommended articles.

Resources

Our Enduring Commitment to EoL care from the Catholic Health & Residential Care services  shows how rest homes can explain their conscientious objections to AD.

Review of the EoLCA 2019 which you can access via the Ministry of Health website (166 pages!).

MCNZ Oct 2021- EoLCA 2019 and Council statements.For more information

Dr Diana Rae: hospice doctor & ex-GP

Email: drdianarae@gmail.com