SA Health said this morning that 32 people had made a first request to access voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in South Australia since new laws came into effect on January 31 giving people with a terminal illness the option to end their lives at a time of their choosing.

SA Health said it was “aware of at least six South Australians who have died after being administered or self-administering a VAD substance”.

It also said 11 people had been issued permits to receive a VAD substance.

SA Health last year estimated that approximately 140 South Australians would access VAD in its first year of operation.

It also estimated that around 50 to 60 people would begin the VAD process each month.

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act passed state parliament in a historic vote in June 2021 after 26 years of parliamentary debate and 16 failed attempts to legalise the practice.

It took the state government 18 months to ensure the state’s health system was prepared to abide by the strict requirements set out in the legislation, which includes 70 safeguards to prevent coercion or wrongful death.

SA Health today said: “The Act is operating as intended since it was passed on 31 January 2023, with all safeguards in place working effectively.”

Fourty-four medical practitioners have now completed the mandatory voluntary assisted dying training, SA Health said, up from 32 in December.

A further 54 clinicians have registered for the training but are yet to complete it.

Voluntary assisted dying can only be accessed by a person who is in the late stages of an incurable, advanced and progressive disease, illness or medical condition and experiencing “intolerable suffering”.

Patients must be the first to initiate a discussion with their doctor. A request cannot be made on somebody else’s behalf by a family member, friend or carer, and at no time is a doctor allowed to initiate a conversation or discussion with a patient, as doing so could be considered coercion.

Once a patient voices their desire to access voluntary assisted dying, they must be assessed by a qualified doctor, who will determine if they abide by the 70 safeguards set out in the legislation.

If they are deemed eligible, a second doctor must conduct another assessment.

The doctors must ensure their patient is making a “fully-informed decision” and is aware of the palliative care options also available to them.

If the patient wants to proceed with voluntary assisted dying, they will need to make a written declaration that is witnessed by two independent individuals, confirming that they are making an “informed, voluntary and enduring decision”.

On receiving that final request, the doctor will then apply for a self-administration permit to prescribe a substance that the person may use to end their life at a time of their choosing.

A full explainer on how South Australia’s VAD system is available here.