Question On Notice No. 1156 asked in the Legislative Council on 1 December 2022 by Hon Nick Goiran
Question Directed to the: Leader of the House representing the Minister for Health
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I refer to page 20 of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Board Western Australia Annual Report 2021-22 that states
that ‘[i]n 2021-22, the most common reasons [for accessing voluntary assisted
dying] given by patients assessed as eligible during the first assessment were
being less able to engage in activities making life enjoyable, or concern about
it (71.1%); losing autonomy, or concern about it (66.3%) and loss of dignity,
or concern about it (57.2%); I ask, how many patients, as a percentage, nominated physical
pain symptoms as a reason for accessing voluntary assisted dying during the
First Assessment?
Answered on 14 February 2023
39.9% of patients assessed as eligible during the First Assessment nominated ‘inadequate pain control, or concern about it’ as the reason for requesting voluntary assisted dying.