OT - Assisted Dying Bill

[howdydoo]

The Assisted Dying Bill has just been published in full

- Must be a legal adult, resident in England or Wales, and registered with a GP for at least 12 months
- Must have the mental capacity to make an informed, voluntary choice to end their life
- Must be terminally ill with a life expectancy of six months or less
- Required to make two signed declarations, witnessed, affirming their wish to die
- Two independent doctors must confirm eligibility, with specialist and mental capacity assessments if needed
- A High Court judge must review the case, hearing from at least one doctor and possibly the person and others involved
- A seven-day gap is required between doctors’ assessments, with an additional 14-day reflection period after the judge’s ruling
- For cases of imminent death, the 14-day reflection can be reduced to 48 hours
- It would be illegal to pressure, coerce, or deceive someone into declaring a wish to end their life or self-administering an approved substance, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison
- Excludes both disability and mental illness as eligibility criteria

[KerrAvon]

In this country you can be prosecuted for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, which can include keeping them alive when euthanasia would be kinder. At the same time, we make it unlawful to assist a person to die, whatever their degree of suffering. There is a big contradiction there.

If my life became intolerable through illness, I would like the option to be assisted to die on my own terms. At the minute, I would probably have to pay a significant sum of money to travel to Switzerland, in the knowledge that anyone in the UK who assisted me to make that journey would risk prosecution for aiding and abetting suicide (although in reality, I would hope the CPS would be slow to say that such a prosecution would be in the public interest).

It follows that I am broadly in support of the right to die. It’s hugely complicated though as I accept the risk that some unscrupulous people might seek to persuade family members to choose to die. Proving that would probably be very diffiicult In addition, I can see that medical professionals would need the absolute right to opt out of involvement in any process that is put in place

[Yak]

In this country you can be prosecuted for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, which can include keeping them alive when euthanasia would be kinder. At the same time, we make it unlawful to assist a person to die, whatever their degree of suffering. There is a big contradiction there.

If my life became intolerable through illness, I would like the option to be assisted to die on my own terms. At the minute, I would probably have to pay a significant sum of money to travel to Switzerland, in the knowledge that anyone in the UK who assisted me to make that journey would risk prosecution for aiding and abetting suicide (although in reality, I would hope the CPS would be slow to say that such a prosecution would be in the public interest).

It follows that I am broadly in support of the right to die. It’s hugely complicated though as I accept the risk that some unscrupulous people might seek to persuade family members to choose to die. Proving that would probably be very diffiicult In addition, I can see that medical professionals would need the absolute right to opt out of involvement in any process that is put in place

I agree with all of that. It needs discussion and hopefully a safe and legal option for the best outcome if pursued by individuals.

[great_fire]

The problem is the NHS, they can't even get the simple things right, like appointments and having enough sterilised scalpels, would you trust them with this?

[KerrAvon]

Wes Streeting’s position is that the NHS does not offer enough by way of palliative care to make for a balanced choice between choosing to die or choosing for a death in which a person is properly supported.

At the minute, some of the ‘burden’ of palliative care gets imposed upon hospices.

As part of any discussion around assisted dying, I think we need to ensure that palliative care and the hospice movement is properly funded and supported.

[great_fire]

Wes Streeting’s position is that the NHS does not offer enough by way of palliative care to make for a balanced choice between choosing to die or choosing for a death in which a person is properly supported.

At the minute, some of the ‘burden’ of palliative care gets imposed upon hospices.

As part of any discussion around assisted dying, I think we need to ensure that palliative care and the hospice movement is properly funded and supported.

Labour's NI tax increases will hit hospices (and care homes).

[Derbymiller]

An interesting article on this subject
https://dailysceptic.org/2024/11/12/...r-for-britain/

[Stovicmiller]

In a way assisted dying is already here, nil by mouth or not for resuscitation that’s been happening in hospitals for years .

[Brin]

In a way assisted dying is already here, nil by mouth or not for resuscitation that’s been happening in hospitals for years .

Stovic, 'not for resuscitation' or DNR as it is known, will have been discussed with the patient via medical professionals before being put into place. It's not something Consultants/Doctors choose to do.

My view on assisted dying:

When, as I have, sat and watched several family members and close friends die a slow painful death through cancer, did I wish I could have granted their request to end all the pain and suffering they were going through. Only they knew what pain to their body, was really doing to them.

All of them at the time were compos mentis and all of them stated variations of how they wish they could just, 'take something', 'give me a needle to end it all', 'I just wished they could help me die quicker', I heard all of that and it broke my heart to see them suffering through their last few months.

My dear Mum, on multiple occasions, told several individual family members that if it was legally available, she would have gone to sleep that very day. Instead she had to go though months of undignified living growing weaker by the day and eventually wracked in pain before she finally passed. We as a family saw her discomfort and the painful expressions on her face when they were moving her in bed in her last few weeks.

I see no reason why any person being of sound mind and the correct procedures were followed in a timely manner, should not be denied to end their own life. We now entrust that this is carefully debated by all legal, medical, professional bodies and the correct decision is made to legally allow assisted dying.

I fully believe we as individuals should be allowed to end our own lives, it's ours to end no one else. I fully support this to be passed as law and the sooner the better.

[GlennMiller]

You generally find that the key supporters of Assisted Dying are those who have some personal connection with an individual who is/has been terminally ill and has/had to endure suffering. Unless you have experienced the indignity and suffering which some medical conditions impose on some terminally ill people, you really don't have the full range of information to make a decision on the acceptability, or not, of Assisted Dying.

Those who object tend to be concerned about slippage and the possibility that the legislation would allow an ever broadening raft of people to opt to end their lives early and the possibility that vulnerable individuals might be bullied into ending their lives by unscrupulous relatives. Others object on religious grounds with which I have no truck.

The way that legislation is being proposed suggests to me that it will be watertight and only those in desperate need will qualify. I sincerely hope that the vote goes in favour of assisted dying - the alternative doesn't bear thinking about.