The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill introduced by Lauren Edwards MP would make it legal for a doctor to encourage or assist the suicide of someone with a ‘terminal illness’ (which would include conditions that people could live with for years with appropriate treatment and support).
The Bill is a ‘Private Members’ Bill’, which means that it has not been introduced by the Government. Each MP is free to vote according to his or her individual conscience. MPs will make up their own minds but will listen to the voice of their constituents.
The Augustine Bioethics Network is encouraging all citizens who are concerned about the Bill to contact their MP before 11 September. Talking to your MP directly may have a greater impact, but writing is also worthwhile, especially if you write in your own words.
Find out who your MP is and how to contact them by using this website.
In speaking or writing it is always better to draw on your own experience, whether this be as a healthcare professional, or a carer, or as someone living with illness or disability, or from the experience of a friend or family member.
It is good to keep a letter short and to make one or two points clearly.
This might be on an issue such as:
- The impact on people who have mental health problems (the Bill allows people to be given the means to end their life even if their decision is influenced by mental illness).
- The impact of people who wrongly feel they are a burden on others.
- The lack of protection of hospices or care homes not to be forced to assist suicide.
- The danger for people in coercive relationships or who are victims of elder abuse.
- If you are a doctor, you might point out that the misuse of the Mental Capacity Act in the Bill, which has been highly criticised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
- If you are a lawyer, you might point to the many legal flaws in the Bill and its reliance on ‘delegated powers’ (for more details see the analysis of Alex Ruck Keene).
Do not worry about other things you could say, other people can make those points.
It is good to focus on the dangers of this Bill. Your MP may be in favour of a change in the law, in principle, but may have hesitations about whether to vote for this specific Bill.
For further information on the ethical issues raised by the Bill, please see the links on our page on new resources on ‘assisted dying’.
