I like to think few would disagree that we, as a society, ought to do all we can to reduce the suffering of terminally ill people. We have all either witnessed or heard of the devastating effects of terminal illness and the trauma associated with the unrelenting pain and loss of dignity in one's final days, for both the individual and their loved ones.
It is for this reason that Labour MP Kim Leadbeater proposed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Specifically, the bill allows for adults who are expected to die within six months to be eligible to request physician-assisted death. Leadbeater has clarified repeatedly, both within the bill itself and in interviews, that assisted death is "not to be considered" for people who have a disability or mental disorder and are not terminally ill.
However, this explicit exclusion of disabled individuals from the bill has not prevented disability rights organisations from speaking against assisted dying coming to Britain. Baroness Jane Campbell, founder of Not Dead Yet UK, noted in an article written for The Independent that every country that had initial restrictions for assisted dying have subsequently relaxed these restrictions to expand the circumstances in which one is eligible for a physician-assisted death. Campbell’s concern is that this extended right to die would exacerbate the (already present) lack of concern surrounding the poor state of disability support in Britain, thus creating a situation wherein disabled people can only choose “to endure poor care or die early”.
It's time to stop forcing people into financial hardship or unsafe alternatives and ensure a dignified, peaceful death is accessible to all.
Although concerns about the potential extension of access to assisted death are entirely understandable - and preventing excessive accessibility of assisted dying is crucial - such concerns must not deprive terminally ill people of their right to die a comfortable death. As a disabled person myself, Campbell's concerns regarding poor disability support are reasonable, but I count myself among the 78% of disabled people who support assisted dying.
Furthermore, Brits already have access to assisted dying through Dignitas in Switzerland, but this procedure can be prohibitively expensive. The Dignity in Dying campaign highlights that overseas assisted death costs £10,000 on average, thus placing an unequitable wealth-based restriction on the one's right to die that could be solved through NHS-provided assisted death rights.
Additionally, terminally ill people can, tragically, be more than twice as likely to commit suicide than those without a terminal illness. This data potentially indicates that many of the individuals who would seek assisted dying are already committing suicide, and so assisted dying could notably reduce suicide rates.
Introducing assisted dying to Britain is not about pressuring people, but about offering choice and compassion to those facing unbearable suffering. With the strict safeguards suggested, this law can provide relief to terminally ill individuals whilst protecting disabled people. It's time to stop forcing people into financial hardship or unsafe alternatives and ensure a dignified, peaceful death is accessible to all.