Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Detailed Consultation – Call for Views
CMF has submitted a response to this Bill, listing its main concerns:
- Definition – the definition of ‘terminal’ ilnesses embraces conditions that will not be terminal in the commonly understood sense of the word. The definition is unhelpfully elastic and will produce confusion
- Safety – the Bill appears to ignore the experience in every other country that has legalised assisted dying and/or euthanasia, where there has been extension in both scale and scope from the stated intention. Thereis no reason to think it would be any different in Scotland.We are concerned that elderly people will feel coerced into ‘doing the decent thing’ out of their concern not to be a burden to loved ones or healthcare providers.
- The Bill implies that palliative care is unable to deliver symptom control up to the point of natural death. We believe this to be false in all but the most rare cases. What is lacking in Scotland is access to high quality palliative care. Introducing assisted dying will not improve that picture. We suggest the solution to better terminal care is to invest intentionally in the training of high quality palliative care physicians and improving access to those servicesIn short, we believe that legalising assisted dying is unnecessary, unsafe, and unwanted by the very people who will be called upon to provide it.
Members are encouraged to complete the short survey, in their own words; please feel free to use our submission as a guide.
For further information:
Steven Fouch (CMF Head of Communications) 020 7234 9668
Media Enquiries:
Alistair Thompson on 07970 162 225
About CMF:
Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) was founded in 1949 and is an interdenominational organisation with over 5,000 doctors, 900medical and nursing students and 300 nurses and midwives as members in all branches of medicine, nursing and midwifery. A registered charity, it is linked to over 100 similar bodies in other countries throughout the world.
CMF exists to unite Christian healthcare professionals to pursue the highest ethical standards in Christian and professional life and to increase faith in Christ and acceptance of his ethical teaching.
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