Forum Topic

Assisted dying bill

Thoughts?  I am in favour as there will be clear legal safeguards. The so-called palliative care my mother received paid barely lip service and she died from cancer in misery and pain despite our best efforts.I emailed my MP Huq on this and got a lily-livered response about how she hadn't decided and perhaps she should look into it more.  Yes she damn well should as it is of huge importance to the most vulnerable in our society.

Claire Moran ● 38d8 Comments

I am in favour. The palliative care that my dear friend Rick received at Meadow House Hospice was truly exceptional, he died pain free and with as much dignity as could be resonably expected.However, that did not stop him realising that his condition was terminal and that there would be no way back to anything like normality from an aggressive cancer that had metastasised into every vital organ. At that point he and his family should have been given the choice to pass at a time and place of his choosing. RIP Rick.

N V Brooks ● 37d

I'm in favour and passed on my views to our local Putney MP when the prospect of this bill was first raised.One of my relatives in Canada was lucky enough to be able to benefit from the legality of the process there. She had a neurological disease and could by that stage only give consent by a thumbs up or down. She could no longer speak and that was the limit of her bodily movement.Too often I hear doctors saying that they can do a lot now to ease suffering towards the end of life, but in my head I'm saying no, you are extending suffering more than easing it.

Katrina Black ● 37d

I personally don't agree with this, and would far rather see decent funding for hospices and at home palliative care. However, I do recognise how many people would like to have a choice, and it is right and proper that the HoC debate and decide.

Vanessa Smith ● 37d

I am broadly in favour too although having worked with clients and their families for many years,I appreciate the need for checks and balances as all families are not healthily functioning units and individual biographies in those families is sometimes  a minefield of anger,neglect or abuse.Not all sons and daughters have mummy or daddy's best interests at heart.

Keith Iddon ● 37d

I stayed with my sister every day for last 7 days to make sure they looked after her, you really have to be there if you can, it helps staff as you can be doing other things for your relative like feeding or helping to keepthem comfortable and reassuring them.

Janice Evans ● 37d

Me also.

Janice Evans ● 37d

I’m in favour.

Steve Taylor ● 37d

I'm also in favour although it will do nothing for people with long-term degenerative illnesses.I also want to see proper funding for palliative care. It's an absolute scandal that hospices are largely dependent on charity. If people were certain that they would be kept comfortable in their last few weeks then there would be much less demand for assisted dying.

Susan Kelly ● 37d