Public back doctors in calling for “dangerous” assisted dying bill to be shelved, finds poll
The overwhelming majority of the public back those doctors calling on MPs to shelve Kim Leadbeater’s “dangerous” assisted dying bill finds a major new poll that is being published ahead of the second day of Report Stage.
Commissioned by the leading anti-assisted dying group Care Not Killing, the survey found seven in 10 members of the public, support the proposal from the Royal Colleges to shelf the current Westminster Bill and improve palliative care instead.
Asked, "The Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Association for Palliative Medicine, as well as a coalition of more than 350 disability organisations, have called for parliament to shelve the current proposals to legalise assisted dying and instead work with the government and NHS on an alternative. Asked “would you agree or disagree with replacing the current proposals with either or both of the following?"
69 per cent of those surveyed agreed with the statement: "a comprehensive plan to invest and improve palliative care with a commitment to giving all patients a right to access excellent end-of-life care". In contrast, just one in 10 (11 per cent) disagreed.
Support among Labour voters was even higher at 75 per cent with even 69 per cent of those who supported assisted dying agreed that the current Bill should be shelved whilst a plan to improve palliative care was developed and implemented.
While six in 10 (61 per cent) backed the idea of setting up a Royal Commission “to consider and make recommendations for creating a holistic end of life and palliative care service, managing patient care from diagnosis to a good death”. Just 14 per cent disagreed. 66 per cent of Labour voters support this and 60 per cent of those who support assisted dying.
The poll also suggests that the Government could pay a political price if they allow assisted suicide to be legalised without fixing the NHS. Two-thirds (65 per cent) of those surveyed think the Government’s priority should be sorting out palliative and social care before changing the law. A figure reinforced by the finding that fully six in 10 (60 per cent) of people agree with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown that with the NHS is at its lowest ebb and it is not the right time to legalise assisted suicide.
Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing, commented: "This major new poll blows apart the arguments that the public are desperate for a so-called assisted dying law. The public want the Government and MPs to focus on fixing the NHS and palliative care which they know are broken. After all one in four Brits who would benefit from palliative care aren't currently receiving it, while in many places services are piecemeal, part-time or facing cuts."
In addition to the poll, a letter signed by over 1,200 doctors from around the UK is being sent to Members of Parliament urging them to vote against the Bill. In their letter, the doctors say: "A fundamental principle of palliative care is ‘neither to hasten nor to postpone death’. Doctor-assisted suicide runs roughshod over the current suicide prevention strategies at the heart of mental health care in the UK. The NHS is broken, with health and social care in disarray. Palliative care is woefully underfunded and many lack access to specialist provision. The idea of doctor-assisted suicide being introduced and managed safely at such a time is remarkably out of touch with the gravity of the current mental health crisis and pressures on staff.
“At second reading, we were told that flaws in the current legislation would be dealt with at committee stage. This has not been the case. Oral evidence to the public bill committee was heavily biased. The composition of the committee was weighted in favour of those supporting the legislation, and most votes divided purely on ideological lines. Judicial review by the High Court was abandoned within weeks of the vote and replaced by a panel which may meet in private, may hear only from one doctor, and which does not have to ask questions. Patients may be eligible if they are depressed or suicidal, feel like a burden to others, or refusing treatment. There is no requirement that patients should be seen by a specialist in their condition or by a palliative care specialist. Any doctor can raise the issue of assisted dying, even with those with learning disabilities or autism. Families may not be notified until after a death and have no route to raise concerns about coercion or abuse…”.
It concludes: “…As healthcare professionals, we have a legal duty of care for the safety and wellbeing of our patients. We urge you to vote against this bill and instead fund comprehensive, accessible palliative care and psychological support for all.”
The letter follows the significant interventions made by three of the Royal Colleges representing psychiatrists, physicians and GPs, raising concerns that the Bill in its current form is deeply flawed and unworkable.
Dr Gordon Macdonald concluded: “The letter, along with the public statements from the Royal Colleges confirm that doctors are deeply concerned with this legislation. They know that substantial parts of the bill are completely unworkable, that safeguards have been watered down or removed making the bill more dangerous and if approved will fundamentally alter health care in our country, even requiring ripping up the NHS Charter, the founding principles of the NHS. This is why we urge MPs to listen to the voices of the doctors who with one voice have said the priority must be to fix our broken health care system - a system that requires both significant investment and reform. In short, we need much more care, not killing.”
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