They Shoot Horses, don't they?

[Odds]

Doctors take an oath to preserve life not to kill people. There are well established sensitive "pathways" to navigate end of life care, including, bluntly, a strong final dose of drugs at the very end to avoid prolonging death when it is nigh. The consumer based approach to end of life at best runs counter to that and at worst conflicts with it. The instinct to live is incredibly strong in humans, and coming to terms with death isn't helped by some bureaucrat handing you a piece of paper saying of course you could just end it all now if you want to, as you'll be gone in less than 6 months anyway..

This Bill is really about legislation to prevent a lawsuit against a member of the family taking matters into their own hands after months or even years of endless torment with no hope of recovery. Even the strongest will to live on can be ground away with a constant fear of living another day in pain.

A petition to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults received 155,803 signatures. The petition's demands included strict safeguards, an independent assessment by two doctors, and the option to die at home. Parliament debated the topic on July 4, 2022.

An e-petition created by The Daily Express newspaper received over 200,000 signatures. The petition calls on the Government to allocate parliamentary time for a debate and vote on assisted dying.

The UK Parliament has this to say: The focus of our inquiry, and therefore our report, is the human element, with a specific focus on health and social care (including palliative and end-of-life care2). Health policy is a devolved matter, and our principal focus in this report is England. However, as the law applies to England and Wales, some examples will include data from both, and some of the data we have drawn upon relates to the whole of the UK.

 

[blup]

This Bill is really about legislation to prevent a lawsuit against a member of the family taking matters into their own hands after months or even years of endless torment with no hope of recovery. Even the strongest will to live on can be ground away with a constant fear of living another day in pain.

A petition to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults received 155,803 signatures. The petition's demands included strict safeguards, an independent assessment by two doctors, and the option to die at home. Parliament debated the topic on July 4, 2022.

An e-petition created by The Daily Express newspaper received over 200,000 signatures. The petition calls on the Government to allocate parliamentary time for a debate and vote on assisted dying.

The UK Parliament has this to say: The focus of our inquiry, and therefore our report, is the human element, with a specific focus on health and social care (including palliative and end-of-life care2). Health policy is a devolved matter, and our principal focus in this report is England. However, as the law applies to England and Wales, some examples will include data from both, and some of the data we have drawn upon relates to the whole of the UK.

Assisted dying and the presumption of consent for organ donation both wide open to exploitation.. If we are a sovereign uk how can such morally important issues be left to individual countries, might as well give them independence.....

 

[Odds]

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has said she believed she had put forward “the best possible legislation” but warned wavering MPs that parliament may not get another chance to vote again on the issue for another decade. “It’s going to be a free vote and I mean that. It will be for every MP to decide for themselves how they want to vote. I’m not going to be putting any pressure whatsoever on Labour MPs. They will be making their own mind up, as I will be,” he said.

The bill is expected to run to 40 pages – believed to be one of the longest ever private members’ bills – and Leadbeater will stress to colleagues over the coming days that the bill has been the subject of exhaustive consultation.

• Patients must be over 18, have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and must be terminally ill and expected to die within six months - They must express a ‘clear, settled and informed’ wish in two separate witnessed declarations - Two independent doctors must be satisfied that the person is eligible - The application must be approved by a high court judge who would hear from at least one of the doctors and may question the patient or anyone else involved - Medicine must be self-administered with doctors banned from assisting - Coercion of a patient would be a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

[Odds]

Sarah Wootton of Dignity in Dying, which campaigns for a change in the law, said the bill was “the strongest proposal parliament has ever considered on improving choice and protections for dying people”. It was “a practical, UK model for law change that will end the cruel and dangerous status quo, while introducing new safety measures,” she added. “Three-quarters of the public agree that this is the right law for the UK, no matter where they live or who they vote for. Many have experienced the devastating effects of banning this option: witnessing prolonged, traumatic deaths despite the best care, or terminally ill relatives taking matters into their own hands at home or abroad.”

Gordon Macdonald of Care Not Killing, which opposes the legislation, said the bill was being “rushed with indecent haste and ignores the deep-seated problems in the UK’s broken and patchy palliative care system and the crisis in social care”.

the Guardian

Hard to see how the bill is 'being rushed', as the first reading on the 29th is the first step on a long road to deciding the matter.

 

[Mottie]

The bill is expected to run to 40 pages – believed to be one of the longest ever private members’ bills – and Leadbeater will stress to colleagues over the coming days that the bill has been the subject of exhaustive consultation.

• Patients must be over 18, have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and must be terminally ill and expected to die within six months - They must express a ‘clear, settled and informed’ wish in two separate witnessed declarations - Two independent doctors must be satisfied that the person is eligible - The application must be approved by a high court judge who would hear from at least one of the doctors and may question the patient or anyone else involved - Medicine must be self-administered with doctors banned from assisting - Coercion of a patient would be a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

I think the above is reasonable with enough safeguards to prevent coercion.

 

[motorbiking]

I can’t imagine the proposed bill is going to be very convenient for those looking to end on their own terms. But those face a certain, agonising death who might find it helpful.

 

[Odds]

It's not always an agonising death that could be eased but a long lingering illness where tests and opinions are having no effect on the wellbeing of the patient. The toll on them and the family cannot be quantified by outsiders. If they agree and the legislation supports their decision, it would provide a much more merciful law than currently stands.

 

[motorbiking]

I don’t disagree. But I think the certification requirements being proposed might be a bit onerous.

 

[ajohn]

I wonder what the Swiss do over all and also what the results have been. Countries often borrow ideas from others as results of changes can be more apparent.

 

[Odds]

I don’t disagree. But I think the certification requirements being proposed might be a bit onerous.

In what way?

 

[Vinty]

I think the above is reasonable with enough safeguards to prevent coercion.

Who is going to enforce these safeguards.
They said abortion would be strictly controlled when it was legalised , nowadays it is just another form of birth control.

 

[Vinty]

In what way?

Sounds expensive and time consuming to police effectively.
High court Judges are already very busy.

 

[Odds]

Who is going to enforce these safeguards.
They said abortion would be strictly controlled when it was legalised , nowadays it is just another form of birth control.

They must express a ‘clear, settled and informed’ wish in two separate witnessed declarations - Two independent doctors must be satisfied that the person is eligible.
The application must be approved by a high court judge who would hear from at least one of the doctors and may question the patient or anyone else involved.
Medicine must be self-administered with doctors banned from assisting.

Would you add further measures?

 

[Vinty]

They must express a ‘clear, settled and informed’ wish in two separate witnessed declarations - Two independent doctors must be satisfied that the person is eligible.
The application must be approved by a high court judge who would hear from at least one of the doctors and may question the patient or anyone else involved.
Medicine must be self-administered with doctors banned from assisting.

Would you add further measures?

I wouldn't legalise it in the first place.
That would be the best safeguard.

 

[ajohn]

There is another factor. Treatment can prove to be lethal to people who are terminally ill.