By Isle of Wight Observer
Over many years I have seen the trauma for those at the end of their lives, and I am passionate about achieving a change in the law to assist those who want the choice of being able to end their suffering by administering appropriate medication.
I also totally respect those who do not want the choice.
Over 70 per cent of the population want a change in the law to allow those at the end of their lives, with less than six months to live, to self-administer end of-life medication, so they can die with dignity rather than decline and decline and eventually die a horrible and undignified death.
I am pleased that today, in the House of Commons, our Isle of Wight MPs can vote on a bill – called the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – to make it legal for terminally ill people to be given assistance to end their own life.
Given the vote is in support of the need for change, further debates and votes will be required before the bill becomes law.
There are several requirements to ensure legality: applicants must be resident in England or Wales, and have been registered with a GP for at least 12 months. They must have the mental capacity to make the choice and be deemed to have expressed a clear, settled and informed wish, free from all coercion or pressure from others.
They must be expected to die within six months and make two separate declarations, witnessed and signed, about their wish to die.
Two independent doctors must be satisfied the person is eligible – and there must be at least seven days between those doctors’ assessments. A High Court judge must hear from at least one of the doctors and can also question the dying person, or anyone else they consider appropriate. There must be a further 14 days after the judge has made the ruling. The bill says a doctor can prepare the substance, but the person themselves must take it.
No doctor or anyone else would be allowed to administer the medication to the terminally ill person. It would be illegal for someone to pressure, coerce or use dishonesty to get someone to make a declaration that they wish to end their life or to induce someone to self-administer an approved substance. If someone were found guilty of either of these actions, they would face a jail sentence of up to 14 years.
Some healthcare professionals may not wish to support dying people to control their death. The law will respect this.
People who do not wish to support assisted dying will not be forced to do so.
It will be interesting to see how Richard and Joe vote, particularly as over 70 per cent want this choice. If they have voted in favour, then all credit to them as I know their views on this most challenging choice. If they do not vote in favour, then in my view they do not support real democracy, which will be a great shame.
Have they helped deliver democracy to the Island or are we to grasp that democracy is dead?
Interestingly, recently I was able to ask Richard Tice (now an MP for the Reform Party) on his view on the need for change. He felt it was a very difficult decision and the best way to resolve the issue would be to have a referendum. That could be the answer to so many issues.
Let’s see what Joe and Richard decide. Fingers crossed.