Assisted Dying could be Legalised in the UK

MP’s have been voting in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill to be passed in the UK and Wales

On 29th of November 2024, the Assisted Dying Bill was backed by MPs marking a historic step in UK healthcare. This law will be for terminally ill adults with less than six months to live.

According to the House of Commons Library, ‘Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is to allow adults aged 18 and over, who have mental capacity, are terminally ill and are in the final six months of their life, to request assistance from a doctor to end their life.’

However, those who wish to end their life must follow the rules of those over 18 years old, live in England or Wales, and be registered with a general practitioner for at least 12 months. They must have a clear mind and not be coerced to their decision.

credit to BBC

Speaking to Mike Adams, Head of College Health and Care Professions at Birmingham City University, he said, “The issue of assisted dying is now being seriously debated and is positive for health care but also for society in general. Unless we can take part in sensible debate on issues that are difficult and emotive then we will never be able to move forward and improve care or grow as a society. I know of 2 people that have taken their own lives when faced with terminal illness and both of these people could have had a much less lonely and scary death, had some sort of assisted dying pathway been in place.”

According to Right to Life, there have been discussions of Assisted dying in the UK since 1936 with the Voluntary Euthanasia Bill being rejected by the House of Lords. From then, there has been a pattern of rejected assisted dying bills in the UK up until 2021. This year Lord Forsyth drafted an assisted suicide bill that was rejected 179 votes to 145 votes.

credit to NBC News 

Palliative Nurse, Denise Newton said, “I think it needs to be a bigger discussion and more research needs to go into it. Primarily thinking of motor neuron patients who are paralysed and would be unable to administer the drugs themselves, which is what the Bill going through parliament dictates. If the actual person has to take their drugs to end their life, motor neuron patients would be unable to fulfil that regulation and that would be unfair. The disability community feels that it would disadvantage them and pressure would be put on them to go through with the drug. I feel there would be very few cases that could be closely monitored by GPs, nurses, and community health services to ensure that doesn’t occur."

She continued, "My personal opinion is if I take an animal to a vet suffering the vet will say “Let's put them down.” If we can do it for animals, we need to consider it for human beings. There are many diseases, as I said motor neuron patients, their young. I’ve got four rugby players in their 40s who don’t want the end of motor neurons and would be grateful for assisted dying.”