Inquiry

Over a third of Church of England priests support assisted dying

Source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/church-of-england-priests-survey-gay-conversion-therapy-ban-assisted-dying-house-of-lords-net-zero-7kqg3dswr

Support for assisted dying among Church of England priests has grown significantly in the last nine years. Over a third of priests would support assisted dying for someone with an incurable disease.

My Death, My Decision hopes this revelation might help to foster a safe and open debate amongst the Church of England clergy on this vital issue, especially as Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man come increasingly closer to creating compassionate assisted dying legislation.

A recent survey by the Times of 1,185 Church of England priests conducted this month found that 35.5% of priests supported a compassionate assisted dying law, compared to 22% in 2014. While a majority do not want assisted dying legalised, opposition has dropped 15%, from 70% to 55%.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey of Clifton described assisted dying as “profoundly Christian to do all we can to ensure nobody suffers against their wishes”. He told The Times: “Opinion is beginning to change as more and more clergy encounter those increasingly difficult experiences of terminal illness where even the best medical care leaves patients living their last days and hours in unconscionable agony and indignity.”

My Death, My Decision’s patron Reverend Canon Rosie Harper says: “The dignity and the compassion that every dying person is owed is still not available to us in this country. I long for [the law] to change and I hope that My Death, My Decision will be part of a wave of people, as most of the people in this country want it to change.”

A 2019 assisted dying poll by Populus found that 86% of people deemed regular churchgoers would support assisted dying under some circumstances. 82% of people who identified as Christian would support a change in the law.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision said:

“We know the majority of people in the pews support a compassionate, safe assisted dying law and it’s refreshing to see opinions at the pulpit slowly catching up. There is nothing Christian about forcing incurably sick people to have long, painful undignified deaths.

My Death, My Decision welcomes this wave of support shown by The Times survey, and we are glad to see opposition to assisted dying fall considerably too. People deserve to make decisions about their lives and ultimately their deaths. It is time Parliament legislates on this important issue.”

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow those who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://dev.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/07/13/our-summary-the-assisted-dying-inquiry/ 

 

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DIGNITAS: “It’s about time” the UK changes law on assisted dying

The Swiss assisted dying organisation DIGNITAS has told parliamentarians that the UK should legalise assisted dying. Silvan Luley, a member of the organisation today gave evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into assisted dying, along with other experts from Switzerland. 

Luley told the inquiry: “If you legalise assisted dying, it will improve conversations with patients, make it transparent, public, clear and make it possible to do research. Doctors will feel safe, people will feel safe.”

When questioned if assisted dying is at odds with palliative care, Luley replied that most Brits that visit DIGNITAS are grateful for the UK’s excellent provision of palliative care, but they say “I want to have my choice”. He added: “That’s the crucial point. It’s about choice.”

Switzerland has allowed assisted dying since 1942, as long as the motives are not selfish. It is one of the few countries in the world that does not have a residence clause, meaning citizens of other countries are allowed to have an assisted death. The number of British people who are members of DIGNITAS has soared by more than 80% in the past decade.

Dr Georg Bosshard, a practising geriatrician in Switzerland, said that Swiss people would find the UK’s blanket ban on assisted dying ‘unthinkable’. He added: “We should have varieties of possibilities for having a good death – we should have a society that meets the needs of different people and the wishes of a wide variety of people.”

Samia Hurst-Majno, Professor of Biomedical Ethics, warned the committee of both under-regulation but also overregulation of assisted dying. She added that “It’s an illusion that banning assisted dying protects vulnerable people.”

My Death, My Decision would welcome an assisted dying law in the UK that grants mentally capable adults the option of an assisted death if they are enduring unbearable suffering from an incurable physical condition.

Claire Macdonald, Director of My Death, My Decision, said:

“We must stop exiling Brits who are dying and suffering from incurable diseases to Switzerland. We must stop exporting compassion and let people have a choice at the end of their lives. 

The evidence the committee heard today was overwhelming. In Switzerland, assisted dying has been working for over 80 years, the system is safe, workable and gives people back their human rights.”

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow those who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://dev.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/05/15/assisted-dying-inquiry-health-and-social-care-committee-takes-next-steps/ 

Watch the evidence session here: https://committees.parliament.uk/event/18436/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/ 

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Dominoes are falling: Majority of surgeons support assisted dying.

A majority of Surgeons support assisted dying, according to figures from a survey of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 61% of respondents to the survey said they personally support a change in the law. 29% said they were opposed and 10% undecided.

This has led the Royal College of Surgeons to end their opposition to assisted dying. 

52% said the Royal College of Surgeons should be supportive of a change in the law to permit assisted dying. 20% said the College should take a neutral position on the provision of assisted dying for mentally competent, terminally ill adults.

In relation to the role of doctors in any future assisted dying process, 59% felt doctors should be involved in confirming a patient meets the eligibility criteria; 42% thought doctors should prescribe the drugs and 23% thought that doctors should be present while patients self-administer the drugs.

Following the survey, the Council voted to adopt a neutral position on the issue. 

The British Medical Association ended its opposition and moved to a neutral position on assisted dying in 2021. This reflects the position of similar medical bodies including the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Medicine, Nursing and Psychiatrists.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“Medical professionals are increasingly coming to the conclusion that assisted dying should be legalised in the UK. The Health and Social Care Committee must surely give due weight to this in their conclusions following the current inquiry into assisted dying.

The public support change, doctors across the spectrum support change – now politicians need to step up and give people who are incurably suffering or terminally ill the right to take control over their own bodies and, ultimately, their own deaths.”

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request

Read the survey here: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/about-the-rcs/government-relations-and-consultation/position-statements-and-reports/assisted-dying/ 

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow those who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://dev.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/05/15/assisted-dying-inquiry-health-and-social-care-committee-takes-next-steps/ 

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Compassion lead to assisted dying law, say international experts

Today, the Health and Social Care Committee heard testimony from experts from countries where access to assisted dying is permitted based on ‘unbearable suffering’. In the first panel, experts from Belgium and the Netherlands explained that compassion was the primary motive behind their early adoption of such a law.

Experts also explained that having a law introduces additional scrutiny to end-of-life care. Professor Bernheim explained that Belgium and the Netherlands are where end-of-life issues have been studied the most intensely. He highlighted that since the law was introduced there has been “much more control, much more scrutiny, much more awareness, much more compassion”.

So far, debates in the UK on assisted dying have mostly been limited to the terminally ill, but this session showed that a law that extends to people who are incurably, intolerably suffering is the most compassionate way forward. Professor Irene Tuffrey-Wijne explained that she doesn’t think the six-month prognosis is logical and it could be interpreted as unfair.

My Death, My Decision would welcome an assisted dying law in the UK that grants mentally capable adults the option of an assisted death if they are enduring unbearable suffering from an incurable physical condition.

The experts showed that across the world, where assisted dying has been introduced, palliative care has dramatically improved. Professor James Downar has said that since the introduction of an assisted dying law, Canada has seen the most historic increase in funding for palliative care. Since the introduction of an assisted dying law, Netherlands and Belgium now have the most developed palliative care in Europe and in Belgium, confidence in the medical system is high, even higher than it was before the law was introduced.

Professor Downar explained that in Canada the vast majority of people who received assisted dying, over 80% had received palliative care and 98% had access to palliative care.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“It is heartening to hear from those on the frontline of assisted dying in other countries that the key driver for the introduction of a law was compassion. That is what drives our campaign for a law in England and Wales, because above all we want to end unnecessary suffering.

Research from the Office of Health Economics shows that even the best palliative care cannot alleviate suffering in thousands of cases each year. We urge the Health and Social Care Committee to help remedy this by recommending a compassionate law for the UK – following the 28 jurisdictions that have already done so.”

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Assisted dying law forces individuals to end their lives early, say top lawyers

Today, the Human Rights (Joint Committee) took evidence from four leading barristers and professors on Human rights and assisted dying. Parliamentarians heard from a range of legal professionals that assisted dying laws are currently forcing people to end their lives early. My Death, My Decision is calling for a compassionate assisted dying law for people who are intolerably, incurably suffering.

Data from the ONS released last year showed that people who are diagnosed with severe health conditions are considerably more likely to take their own lives. Several MPs in debates have shared evidence of loved ones taking their own lives. This includes MP Paul Blomfield, who told the story last year in a debate how his father took his own life after receiving a diagnosis for inoperable cancer.

When challenged about whether assisted dying in international jurisdictions can show a slippery slope, experts replied that in every jurisdiction where assisted dying has changed, this has been due to legal, justifiable and democratic changes.

Parliamentarians heard that internationally, where assisted dying laws exist with eligibility criteria and safeguards, they are fundamentally compliant with the Human Rights Convention.

Paul Bowen KC said: “Does having unbearable suffering give you certain rights you should be able to enforce? I think the answer is yes”. My Death, My Decision believes that any law in the UK should ensure that people who are experiencing unbearable suffering from a physical condition should have the right to end their lives.

Experts discussed the case of Debbie Purdy, who took her case to the UK courts and wrote a book titled “It’s Not Because I Want to Die”. Paul Bowen KC argued that for Debbie Purdy it wasn’t about the right to die, it was that she wanted to have the confidence that when the right time came she would be able to die with dignity, and it meant that once she had that confidence she would be able to live confidently.

The Health and Social Care Committee is currently running an inquiry into assisted dying. So far, they have published written evidence submitted to them as well as a summary of its investigations to date, including from the individual survey responded to by over 65,000 people. They have held oral evidence sessions with peers, experts and stakeholders from international jurisdictions where assisted dying is legal.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“Our current law is clearly not working. We are punishing compassionate acts, placing unwarranted trauma on already grieving families, and wasting police time. 

The current inquiry into assisted dying must surely evaluate how the law in the UK is broken. No one should be forced to suffer against their will and we deserve the right to make choices about the end of our lives.”

Notes:

Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available upon request

For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.

My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow those who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.

Read more about our work with the Assisted Dying Inquiry: https://dev.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/2023/05/15/assisted-dying-inquiry-health-and-social-care-committee-takes-next-steps/ 

Watch the evidence session here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/9a65aa72-d8ba-4dd0-9d81-7abe4614573e 

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Assisted Dying Inquiry: Health and Social Care Committee Takes Next Steps

 

Amid a flurry of planned oral evidence sessions and online roundtable discussions, the Health and Social Care Committee has at last published the written submissions made by various parties in January. However, as of 15th May 2023, there is still no timetable for completion of the inquiry. 

In their written submission to the inquiry, My Death, My Decision made it clear that at the heart of the assisted dying debate lie people with lived experience who are either terminally ill or suffering unbearably from incurable conditions. They cited the well-known cases of Tony Nicklinson and Paul Lamb, both of whom sadly died before they could see their goal of a humane change in the law achieved. 

MDMD made the case that all of this suffering is avoidable, but the UK has exported compassion abroad, for those who are able to travel and can afford it, because that is the only legal way to get help. There are also considerable legal uncertainties for those who accompany others, as the case of Sue Lawford in 2022 showed.

Nicely summarising the challenge faced by the UK, in their submission Dignitas – to live with Dignity – to die with Dignity, did not pull any punches. They described themselves as an emergency exit because “many countries’ governments and legal systems disrespect their citizens’ basic human right to self-determination and choice in life and life’s end, ban the topic with a taboo, and force them either to turn to lonely risky do-it-yourself suicide attempts or to travel abroad instead“.

You can see all submissions, with a search facility, here.

The Committee has also posted a summary of its investigations to date, including from the individual survey responded to by over 65,000 people.

The Committee made it clear that the survey was not a poll, so they have not said how many respondents were in favour or opposed – but the summary has some revealing information about the reasons given on both sides. For example, of opponents, 53% chose the sanctity of life as a reason for opposing, suggesting that many hold religious, rather than evidence-based,  grounds for opposing. 

Progress towards a law is underway close to home in Scotland, Jersey, the Isle of Man, and France. These jurisdictions aim to join the 28 around the world that already allow assistance to die, most recently Portugal, where the law was approved only last week. It remains to be seen when and how England and Wales will achieve the same.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision, says:

‘My Death, My Decision welcomed the inquiry by the Health and Social Care Committee and looks forward to its conclusions. We hope that in drawing those, the Committee listens above all to those who face unbearable suffering because of our absence of a compassionate assisted dying law. 

Decades of international experience show that a regulated assisted dying system with appropriate protocols can work well and maintain public confidence. By contrast, fears of abuse expressed by opponents whenever a law is introduced have not been justified in practice.”

 

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