An NSW doctor has shared his wife’s story as the government delays a vote on assisted dying legislation.

The bill has been referred to the upper house and a conscience vote won’t take place until next year.

One in five suicides over the age of 40 are people with a terminal illness.

Dr Gavin Pattullo’s wife took her own life after a 14-year battle with cancer.

Dr Pattullo told Ray Hadley “she couldn’t tell me the truth of what she was planning”.

“She knew on the horizon for her was a slow death.

“The great tragedy of it all was that she had to do that on her own.”

Press PLAY below to hear the confronting interview