Care Not Killing troubled by 'death quango' amendment to Assisted Dying Bill

Source: Care Not Killing

Care Not Killing is deeply troubled by latest amendments that have been tabled this evening to the Assisted Dying Bill that confirm plans to ditch the High Court process replacing it with an unaccountable 'death quango'.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing, commented: "We are extremely troubled by the detail of the amendment tabled this evening to the assisted dying bill that confirms the important so-called High Court safeguard has been axed.

"In its places advocates for legalising assisted suicide have dreamt a new government agency or death quango to oversee the process, with appointed staff and little or no clarity about reporting structures and accountability.

"It is risible to claim that this massively watered down, and opaque replacement will be safer. A view that I am sure will be shared by many of the 80 MPs or so who are publicly on record as saying their support for this dangerous legislation was wholly contingent on the strictest safeguards in the world, such as the rigorous oversight of a high court judge as part of a formal legal process. But then, as we have seen in other places that have legalised assisted suicide or euthanasia over time safeguards are eroded and the eligibility criteria expanded. In the US state of Oregon, the model for this legislation, just one in 25 people now have a psychiatrist assessment, despite the fact up to 80 per cent of people who get a terminal diagnosis will suffer from treatable clinical depression and a majority of those ending their lives cite fear of being a burden on their families, finances or carers as a reason for their request to kill themselves. While the law sold to the public as being for those dying of cancer has been expanded to include insulin dependent diabetes and eating disorders such as anorexia.

"In some places the removal of safeguards has gone even further so disabled people, non-mentally competent adults, those with mental health problems and even children can access an assisted death. This is why the safest law is the one we currently have and why we would urge MPs to ditch this dangerous bill and instead concentrate on fixing the UK's broken palliative care system."

LINKS

For more information see Care Not Killing: www.carenotkilling.org.uk/

If you would like to talk with someone about issues raised in this article, the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day. Call free on 116 123 or visit: www.samaritans.org