Important – Have Your Say!
Two new important calls for evidence, both relating to medical ‘treatment’ at the end of life:
(1) The House of Commons Public Bill Committee, currently reviewing the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, is calling for evidence from people with ‘relevant experience’ of those at the end of life. This includes not just medical staff and clinicians, but anyone with experience of treatment received by those at the end of life, including bereaved relatives and friends. There is no deadline for submissions, because the Committee can only receive evidence while the Bill is under its consideration. The first sitting of the Committee is expected to take place later this month. Please respond as soon as possible, because the Committee will not be able to receive evidence once it has concluded its considerations.
Submissions should not exceed 2,000 words. Full details and how to submit can be found here:
(2) A new Palliative and End of Life Care Commission has been set up by Rachael Maskell MP, to examine what are described as ‘the strengths and significant shortfalls’ in current end of life care provision. The Commissions is calling for written submissions from doctors, hospitals, hospices, charities, disability rights organisations, and any with experience of palliative and end of life care – which means that evidence is welcomed from patients, families and carers, as well as from researchers and clinicians. Please respond as soon as possible. The closing date for submission is 28th March
Full details and how to submit can be found here:
https://palliativecarecommission.uk
We urge everyone with any experience of these issues to respond as soon as possible, and preferably well in advance of the deadline.
For further information about the risks of legalising assisted suicide, and help in what to say, please see our VfJUK guidance:
https://vfjuk.org/resources/endoflifeandassistedsuicide/
For help in responding to the Commission on Palliative and End of Life Care, see our Report, When End of Life Care Goes Wrong, and watch our video When Health Care Causes Death. Both can be accessed here: https://vfjuk.org/resources/endoflifeandassistedsuicide/
Don’t let Britain become a culture of death
Under current proposals, the UK faces one of the most profound challenges to our care of the sick and dying yet faced in our history. If assisted suicide is legalised, it will put at serious risk the elderly and vulnerable of any age – who might well find themselves denied the right to live.
On the evidence of other jurisdictions where assisted suicide and euthanasia are already legal, proposed safeguards will prove useless and ‘assisted death’ will rapidly be extended to cover those not suffering from terminal illness, including children and people with mental health issues, such as depression. Including the ‘useless’. Over time, assisted dying could well become the leading cause of death.
We will all be at risk.
We urge people to respond to both calls for evidence, pointing out the risks of deliberately bringing about death – not just for vulnerable patients, but for the NHS and society as a whole – calling for better palliative care that genuinely respects and cares for people in the final stages of life.