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Leader Live
14-05-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
Doctors raise concerns over assisted dying Bill ahead of return to Parliament
In what will be seen by some as a blow for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) said it cannot support the proposals in their current form, while separate research has highlighted division on the issue amongst family doctors in England. The Bill, which relates to England and Wales, will come before MPs in the House of Commons on Friday for its report stage – where various further amendments will be debated and voted on. It is not yet clear whether time will allow on the day for a third reading vote. It will be the first time the Bill is back before the Commons since the historic yes vote in November. The Bill's continued passage through Westminster comes as the Scottish Parliament backed the general principles for assisted dying in a vote on Tuesday. Holyrood voted by 70 votes to 56 in favour of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. On the Westminster Bill, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has said it cannot support the proposed legislation in its current form, highlighting 'serious concerns'. Conservative MP Danny Kruger, who is opposed to the Bill, said this was a 'very significant intervention', and Labour's Melanie Ward, who also voted against it, said it was a 'blow to (the Bill's) foundations'. The college said it has 'unanswered questions' about the safeguarding of people with mental illness and warned of a shortage of consultant psychiatrists to meet the demands of the Bill. Meanwhile, research by the BBC suggested varying views among GPs. Of 1,000 doctors who responded to questions on assisted dying, 500 were opposed to legalisation while about 400 were in favour, the broadcaster said. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, told the BBC the results showed doctors had 'real concerns about the practical and legal implications of a change in the law on assisted dying', which she said 'must be acknowledged and addressed, so that any legislation is watertight'. The Bill was amended during committee stage earlier this year, including the High Court element being scrapped in favour of multidisciplinary panels featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. The RCPsych has said it is 'not clear what a psychiatrist's role on a multidisciplinary panel would be', and also demanded any new law 'must exclude the physical effects of mental disorder, such as anorexia or dementia, as the basis for eligibility'. Dr Lade Smith, president of the RCPsych, said: 'It's integral to a psychiatrist's role to consider how people's unmet needs affect their desire to live. The Bill, as proposed, does not honour this role, or require other clinicians involved in the process to consider whether someone's decision to die might change with better support. 'We are urging MPs to look again at our concerns for this once-in-a-generation Bill and prevent inadequate assisted dying/assisted suicide proposals from becoming law.' Dr Annabel Price, also from the RCPsych, said: 'The college has spent decades focused on preventing people from dying by suicide. 'A significant part of our engagement on this Bill to date has been to point out that people with terminal physical illnesses are more likely to have depression. 'Terminal illness is a risk factor for suicide, and unmet needs can make a person's life feel unbearable. But we know that if a person's situation is improved or their symptoms treated, then their wish to end their life sooner often changes. 'The Bill does not specify whether assisted dying/assisted suicide is a treatment option – an ambiguity that has major implications in law.' Labour MP Simon Opher, who is also a GP and is supportive of the Bill, said the legislation has been amended to be even safer than it was. He told the BBC Radio Four Today programme: 'I totally understand the criticisms around the Bill but I think that actually if you read the Bill it's incredibly safe now and it has a number of safeguards around capacity and coercion and indeed that's why we've involved psychiatrists for the very difficult cases around assessing mental capacity – which are very few but we need their expertise on that level.' Asked whether he felt concerns raised by royal colleges might put MPs off voting in favour of the Bill, he said: 'GPs are split on this and I totally acknowledge that and I know many people who I deeply respect who are against it and many who are for it. 'But I think that actually talking to MPs, many of them haven't changed their views on this. 'There's about three or four I know that may vote in favour of the Bill because of the extra safeguards we've built into it.' Meanwhile, Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the Westminster Bill, praised the 'lengthy, constructive and compassionate debate' in the Scottish Parliament, saying they had 'listened to the voices of those with personal experience of those injustices and concluded that the status quo cannot be defended any longer'.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Doctors raise concerns over assisted dying Bill ahead of return to Parliament
An MP who backs the assisted dying Bill has insisted many of his colleagues have not changed their views on the issue, as GPs and psychiatrists raised concerns days before the legislation returns to Parliament for debate. In what will be seen by some as a blow for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) said it cannot support the proposals in their current form, while separate research has highlighted division on the issue amongst family doctors in England. The Bill, which relates to England and Wales, will come before MPs in the House of Commons on Friday for its report stage – where various further amendments will be debated and voted on. It is not yet clear whether time will allow on the day for a third reading vote. It will be the first time the Bill is back before the Commons since the historic yes vote in November. The Bill's continued passage through Westminster comes as the Scottish Parliament backed the general principles for assisted dying in a vote on Tuesday. Holyrood voted by 70 votes to 56 in favour of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. On the Westminster Bill, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has said it cannot support the proposed legislation in its current form, highlighting 'serious concerns'. Conservative MP Danny Kruger, who is opposed to the Bill, said this was a 'very significant intervention from the Royal College of Psychiatrists'. The college said it has 'unanswered questions' about the safeguarding of people with mental illness and warned of a shortage of consultant psychiatrists to meet the demands of the Bill. Meanwhile, research by the BBC suggested varying views among GPs. Of 1,000 doctors who responded to questions on assisted dying, 500 were opposed to legalisation while about 400 were in favour, the broadcaster said. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, told the BBC the results showed doctors had 'real concerns about the practical and legal implications of a change in the law on assisted dying', which she said 'must be acknowledged and addressed, so that any legislation is watertight'. The Bill was amended during committee stage earlier this year, including the High Court element being scrapped in favour of multidisciplinary panels featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. The RCPsych has said it is 'not clear what a psychiatrist's role on a multidisciplinary panel would be', and also demanded any new law 'must exclude the physical effects of mental disorder, such as anorexia or dementia, as the basis for eligibility'. Dr Lade Smith, president of the RCPsych, said: 'It's integral to a psychiatrist's role to consider how people's unmet needs affect their desire to live. The Bill, as proposed, does not honour this role, or require other clinicians involved in the process to consider whether someone's decision to die might change with better support. 'We are urging MPs to look again at our concerns for this once-in-a-generation Bill and prevent inadequate assisted dying/assisted suicide proposals from becoming law.' Dr Annabel Price, also from the RCPsych, said: 'The college has spent decades focused on preventing people from dying by suicide. 'A significant part of our engagement on this Bill to date has been to point out that people with terminal physical illnesses are more likely to have depression. 'Terminal illness is a risk factor for suicide, and unmet needs can make a person's life feel unbearable. But we know that if a person's situation is improved or their symptoms treated, then their wish to end their life sooner often changes. 'The Bill does not specify whether assisted dying/assisted suicide is a treatment option – an ambiguity that has major implications in law.' Labour MP Simon Opher, who is also a GP and is supportive of the Bill, said the legislation has been amended to be even safer than it was. He told the BBC Radio Four Today programme: 'I totally understand the criticisms around the Bill but I think that actually if you read the Bill it's incredibly safe now and it has a number of safeguards around capacity and coercion and indeed that's why we've involved psychiatrists for the very difficult cases around assessing mental capacity – which are very few but we need their expertise on that level.' Asked whether he felt concerns raised by royal colleges might put MPs off voting in favour of the Bill, he said: 'GPs are split on this and I totally acknowledge that and I know many people who I deeply respect who are against it and many who are for it. 'But I think that actually talking to MPs, many of them haven't changed their views on this. 'There's about three or four I know that may vote in favour of the Bill because of the extra safeguards we've built into it.' Meanwhile, Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the Westminster Bill, praised the 'lengthy, constructive and compassionate debate' in the Scottish Parliament, saying they had 'listened to the voices of those with personal experience of those injustices and concluded that the status quo cannot be defended any longer'.
South Wales Guardian
14-05-2025
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Doctors raise concerns over assisted dying Bill ahead of return to Parliament
In what will be seen by some as a blow for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) said it cannot support the proposals in their current form, while separate research has highlighted division on the issue amongst family doctors in England. The Bill, which relates to England and Wales, will come before MPs in the House of Commons on Friday for its report stage – where various further amendments will be debated and voted on. It is not yet clear whether time will allow on the day for a third reading vote. It will be the first time the Bill is back before the Commons since the historic yes vote in November. The Bill's continued passage through Westminster comes as the Scottish Parliament backed the general principles for assisted dying in a vote on Tuesday. Holyrood voted by 70 votes to 56 in favour of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. On the Westminster Bill, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has said it cannot support the proposed legislation in its current form, highlighting 'serious concerns'. Conservative MP Danny Kruger, who is opposed to the Bill, said this was a 'very significant intervention from the Royal College of Psychiatrists'. The college said it has 'unanswered questions' about the safeguarding of people with mental illness and warned of a shortage of consultant psychiatrists to meet the demands of the Bill. Meanwhile, research by the BBC suggested varying views among GPs. Of 1,000 doctors who responded to questions on assisted dying, 500 were opposed to legalisation while about 400 were in favour, the broadcaster said. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, told the BBC the results showed doctors had 'real concerns about the practical and legal implications of a change in the law on assisted dying', which she said 'must be acknowledged and addressed, so that any legislation is watertight'. The Bill was amended during committee stage earlier this year, including the High Court element being scrapped in favour of multidisciplinary panels featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. The RCPsych has said it is 'not clear what a psychiatrist's role on a multidisciplinary panel would be', and also demanded any new law 'must exclude the physical effects of mental disorder, such as anorexia or dementia, as the basis for eligibility'. Dr Lade Smith, president of the RCPsych, said: 'It's integral to a psychiatrist's role to consider how people's unmet needs affect their desire to live. The Bill, as proposed, does not honour this role, or require other clinicians involved in the process to consider whether someone's decision to die might change with better support. 'We are urging MPs to look again at our concerns for this once-in-a-generation Bill and prevent inadequate assisted dying/assisted suicide proposals from becoming law.' Dr Annabel Price, also from the RCPsych, said: 'The college has spent decades focused on preventing people from dying by suicide. 'A significant part of our engagement on this Bill to date has been to point out that people with terminal physical illnesses are more likely to have depression. 'Terminal illness is a risk factor for suicide, and unmet needs can make a person's life feel unbearable. But we know that if a person's situation is improved or their symptoms treated, then their wish to end their life sooner often changes. 'The Bill does not specify whether assisted dying/assisted suicide is a treatment option – an ambiguity that has major implications in law.' Labour MP Simon Opher, who is also a GP and is supportive of the Bill, said the legislation has been amended to be even safer than it was. He told the BBC Radio Four Today programme: 'I totally understand the criticisms around the Bill but I think that actually if you read the Bill it's incredibly safe now and it has a number of safeguards around capacity and coercion and indeed that's why we've involved psychiatrists for the very difficult cases around assessing mental capacity – which are very few but we need their expertise on that level.' Asked whether he felt concerns raised by royal colleges might put MPs off voting in favour of the Bill, he said: 'GPs are split on this and I totally acknowledge that and I know many people who I deeply respect who are against it and many who are for it. 'But I think that actually talking to MPs, many of them haven't changed their views on this. 'There's about three or four I know that may vote in favour of the Bill because of the extra safeguards we've built into it.' Meanwhile, Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the Westminster Bill, praised the 'lengthy, constructive and compassionate debate' in the Scottish Parliament, saying they had 'listened to the voices of those with personal experience of those injustices and concluded that the status quo cannot be defended any longer'.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NHS will become national health and assisted suicide service, says MP
Assisted dying free on the NHS if proposed legislation becomes law is a fundamental change to the principles on which the health service was founded, a leading opponent has said. Conservative MP Danny Kruger said the NHS would, if the Bill being considered at Westminster passes into law, become the 'national health and assisted suicide service' as he accused those behind it of taking a 'red pen to Bevan's legacy'. He was referencing the NHS's chief architect Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan, who as minister for health was given the task of introducing the service under the 1946 National Health Service Act. MPs scrutinising the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Tuesday were considering two new clauses imposing a duty on the Health Secretary in England and giving power to ministers in Wales – where health is devolved – to ensure the provision of voluntary assisted dying services. Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind the Bill, told the committee: 'I'm clear the process must be available as part of the range of services available to patients under the NHS and free at the point of need.' She said it is 'crucial that the option of a voluntary assisted death remains part of a holistic approach to end-of-life care' and added that private provision should also be available. Ms Leadbeater told MPs: 'NHS trusts and ICBs (integrated care boards) may, as they already do, use private providers in some circumstances. 'This provides flexibility, which is important, but chair, what matters is that the safeguards and protections in this Bill will apply no matter where the service is supplied.' She added that the same requirements will apply to all medical practitioners that they 'cannot benefit financially or in any material way from the death of a person and can only receive reasonable remuneration for providing a service'. This exchange in the committee this morning goes to the heart of the Leadbeater Bill. A new clause, amending the 1946 Act, will change the NHS to the National Health and Assisted Suicide Service. And no, it's not just part of end-of-life care. — Danny Kruger (@danny__kruger) March 25, 2025 Mr Kruger suggested a 'linguistic sleight of hand' was being used in the legislation with the phrase 'VAD (voluntary assisted dying) services'. He said it was there 'to avoid having to spell out that section one, subsection one of the NHS Act will now include references to assistance to end the lives of people in England and Wales'. Mr Kruger suggested this was because 'it's a hard thing to do, to take a red pen to Bevan's legacy, to fundamentally change the NHS from one 'designed to secure improvement in the physical and mental health of the people of England and Wales, dedicated to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness', and to include, to add, into that founding clause of the NHS, the words 'and end the lives of terminally ill people'.' He added: 'So I'll be blunter than the drafters have been. This clause changes the NHS from the National Health Service to the National Health and assisted suicide service.' MPs are considering and voting on various amendments to the Bill, including the establishment of an assisted dying commissioner and expert panels to approve assisted dying applications, to replace the High Court judge element which was scrapped earlier this month. Meanwhile, the Isle of Man's parliament became the first part of the British Isles to pass assisted dying legislation. Its Assisted Dying Bill will be sent for royal assent, having had its final reading by members of the legislative council on Tuesday. The Bill, for adults resident on the island for five years who have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of no more than 12 months, could formally become law later this year with an assisted dying service potentially in place by 2027.
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
High court judge approval for assisted dying cases scrapped by MPs
The requirement for a High Court judge to approve assisted dying applications has been scrapped by MPs. A committee scrutinising the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill voted on Wednesday to remove a clause which had been touted as the reason the proposed legislation for England and Wales would be the strictest in the world. Anti-assisted dying campaigners said the move was a 'grave weakening of the bill', but those in favour called it a 'welcome step forward'. When introduced to parliament last year, the bill proposed that terminally ill adults with less than six months to live should be legally allowed to end their lives, subject to approval by two doctors and a High Court judge. On Wednesday, a majority of MPs on the 23-member scrutiny committee voted to remove the court-approval clause. Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the bill, has proposed to instead establish a voluntary assisted dying commissioner - a judge or former judge - to oversee the process and expert panels featuring a senior legal figure, a psychiatrist and a social worker who would decide on assisted dying applications. Reacting to the news, a group of 26 MPs said in a joint statement that the move 'breaks the promises made by proponents of the bill, fundamentally weakens the protections for the vulnerable and shows just how haphazard this whole process has become.' They said the committee had scrapped judges in favour of an 'unaccountable quango', and raised concerns that the panel might hear in private. Conservative MP Danny Kruger argued against the change on Wednesday, saying: 'We don't give powers of life or death to panels'. He argued that the panel's decision would be essentially judicial anyway, and asked that an impact assessment be provided on whether psychiatrists or social workers had the capacity to take on these responsibilities. The amendment on the panel of experts will be voted on at a later stage - possibly later this month. It has been suggested some MPs who supported the bill at Second Reading last year could change their minds. Mr Kruger suggested there were 60 MPs who previously specified the High Court safeguard as a reason for having supported the proposed legislation. Of the expert panels suggested in its place, he told the committee: "It's not a judicial entity in any sense. It's a weird creature, neither one thing nor the other, a quasi multi-disciplinary team at the wrong stage of the process for the wrong purpose." He said the change drops a much-heralded "gold-plated" judicial safeguard, "totally transforms" the bill, and lamented that MPs had not had a chance to hear expert views on the suggested replacement. Ms Leadbeater has insisted the amendments she has put forward will give her bill "additional patient-centred safeguards" by providing a "range of expertise" via the three-member panel, which she said "is a strength, not a weakness". She said she had "listened carefully" to expert evidence in January on concerns around the pressure on judicial resources if each case was to automatically go before the High Court, and on calls to involve psychiatrists and social workers in assessing mental capacity and detecting coercion. Conservative MP Kit Malthouse said that he had changed his mind about the involvement of judges in the process, and now backed having an expert panel. He said that 'we need to take care to tread lightly on people's final moments' and not envelop their final days in 'stress, bureaucracy and a sense of jeopardy'. Conservative MP Matt Vickers said he was concerned about how the decisions of the proposed commissioner would be held accountable. And former MP Tom Hunt, a campaigner against the bill, added: 'This represents a grave weakening of the bill. 'These panels will be largely disconnected from the patients. There will be no requirement for those on the panel to meet the patient in person or question them. They will quickly become rubber stamping panels.' However Claire Macdonald, director of My Death, My Decision said the move was a 'welcome step forward', adding: 'We support the move towards a specialist panel that can provide expertise and fairness in assisted dying decisions.' The committee's line-by-line scrutiny of the bill continues before it returns to the House of Commons - most likely towards the end of April - for further debate and a vote.
