Assisted Dying for the terminally ill

[Aruntraveller]

I am aware that we have covered this topic before (couldn't find an old thread) but that the public is so much in favour of this came as a bit of a surprise to me:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/04/three-in-four-britons-back-assisted-dying-for-terminally-ill-poll?

Our MP's are out of step with public opinion on this.

[ProfessorDavey]

I am aware that we have covered this topic before (couldn't find an old thread) but that the public is so much in favour of this came as a bit of a surprise to me:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/04/three-in-four-britons-back-assisted-dying-for-terminally-ill-poll?

Our MP's are out of step with public opinion on this.

MPs have been out of step with public opinion on this for quite a while.

I'm strongly in favour of legalising assisted dying (with appropriate safeguards), but I can see that from the perspective of a member of the public it is easy to say this but legislators will have to wrestle with the complexities of those safeguards and make the actual decision. That said I think the main reason is that MPs and Peers are simply not demographically representative of the wider public, most notably having a massively higher proportion of actively religious people than in the wider public where that level is about one in ten.

[Roses]

I am in favour of assisted dying for the terminally ill provided that they are mentally capable of making that decision.

[ProfessorDavey]

I am in favour of assisted dying for the terminally ill provided that they are mentally capable of making that decision.

There also need to be protections to avoid people feeling pressurised. But I don't doubt this can be achieved.

[Roses]

There also need to be protections to avoid people feeling pressurised. But I don't doubt this can be achieved.

No one should feel pressurised into having their life terminated. A proper psychiatric assessment should be able to determine the person's state of mind and whether it their own choice.

[ProfessorDavey]

No one should feel pressurised into having their life terminated.

Absolutely

A proper psychiatric assessment should be able to determine the person's state of mind and whether it their own choice.

A psychological will assess whether they have the capacity to make the decision, it wouldn't necessarily identify any external pressures, whether overt or more subtle. Other safeguards would need to be in place to provide protection, likely ensuring that there is someone who is completely independent from both the family and the care team who is able to carefully discuss the matter with the individual.

[Roses]

If I was younger and assisted dying was legal here in the UK I would consider taking a course in assisting terminally ill people to die.

[Alan Burns]

A close friend who works as a professor in the nhs told me that in many cases of caring for the terminally ill he has encountered close relatives who are only interested in their inheritance.  We need laws to protect such vulnerable people.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

No one should feel pressurised into having their life terminated. A proper psychiatric assessment should be able to determine the person's state of mind and whether it their own choice.

Should not be done by the same people who are working in the health service.
A separate National Death Service should be set up with none of this consultancy monday, Assisting death Wednesday, Golf friday nonsense. You either choose to work for NHS or NDS.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

If I was younger and assisted dying was legal here in the UK I would consider taking a course in assisting terminally ill people to die.

Or just refer them to your posts on this forum.