Assisted Suicide Campaign Update:
Following the failure of the Assisted Suicide Bill in the House of Lords in April, campaigners continue to highlight concerns about the implications of legalising assisted suicide in England and Wales.
(The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill - a separate but similar Bill to the Bill for England and Wales - was defeated in a vote at its final stage in the Scottish Parliament, in March.)
Together's
@Amanda_M_Hunter features in a new podcast series with
@ukmfa1, examining a range of issues relating to the Bill and assisted suicide more broadly.
š Episode 1Ā reviewed the status of the Bill and developments in Parliament:
youtube.com/watch?v=JQop5topā¦
š Episode 2 focuses on the potential impact on palliative care provision. The discussion features Carol Davis and Angelina Ireland, Director of Delta Hospice in Canada, who describes the significant effects that Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) regime has had on palliative care services:
youtube.com/watch?v=G2Nu0Q6aā¦
š Episode 3 examines the drugs used in assisted suicide in jurisdictions where it is legal and the lack of detail on this issue within the proposed legislation:
youtu.be/kU4d-Ej344c
š The upcoming Episode 4 will focus on the potential impact on the NHS and on the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients.
Amanda also spoke in Paris at an international conference on euthanasia and assisted suicide in Europe, bringing together speakers and organisations concerned about the expansion of such laws across the continent:
politicalnetworkforvalues.orā¦
Meanwhile, attention is turning to the Private Members' Bill ballot.
While several MPs who were drawn highly in the ballot are known supporters of assisted dying legislation, some have already indicated that they do not intend to introduce a new Assisted Dying Bill.
There also appears to be limited appetite among MPs to pursue the use of the Parliament Acts to force such legislation through Parliament.
Further clarity is expected following parliamentary developments later this month.
Watch the first podcast Episode here:
youtube.com/watch?v=JQop5topā¦