The Legislative Council has heard that a potential assisted dying service should be overseen by a panel instead of relying on two doctors.
Retired palliative care consultant Claud Regnard, and forensic investigator Bridget Carter gave evidence to MLCs as they began debating the Assisted Dying Bill which is being guided through LegCo by Peter Greenhill.
Under the current proposed legislation, two doctors would be required to confirm a person is terminally ill, with less than 12 months to live, and should be allowed to end their lives.
However, Ms Carter, while praising the intention to put in safeguard, said that two doctors may not be best placed to recognise warning signs and that could leave very vulnerable patients at risk of coercion.
Both Dr Regnard and Ms Carter said that a multi-disciplinary team that would be trained to spot signs of coercion that may not appear obvious would be a better model.
Ms Carter said: “You’d have a select group, so like a multi disciplinary team of experts, healthcare professionals, who are prepared to undergo that kind of training from the ground up, take responsibility, understand the grooming process from the ground up, looking at the evidence.”
She added: “There’s lots of ways that you can ring, fence that safeguarding, but it does need to be established.”
Extra Step
However, Dr Alex Allinson MHK, who introduced the private member’s bill, said that he has concerns that introducing such a panel or team could create a barrier for people.
He said that his research shows that most people who seek an assisted dead are facing an “imminent death”.
The Ramsey MHK added: “They have made their mind up. They’ve often discussed that with loved ones, with other people going forward, I think is absolutely right that they’re offered the right counselling, the opportunities for counselling, for further information from from a range of individuals, whether that be medical individual, legal individuals, or spiritual input as well.
“But the key to the legislation is that they’ve made that decision, they’ve got the autonomy and the capacity to make that decision and how that decision is then confirmed going forward by the two doctors. How you create a structure that supports that person during that decision making is slightly separate to the legislation.”
Reflecting on the wishes of people, Dr Allinson said it was possible that assisted deaths could be done away from medical settings, allowing people to do in the comfort of their own home.
Next Steps
Mover Peter Greenhill has said he would like to bring the clauses stage of the Bill, which he had intended to do yesterday, in December 3, a week ahead of the standing orders timetable.
However, this faced opposition from members who wanted more time to consider the evidence they had heard.
Despite this, Mr Greenhill said he will seek to bring a vote to the December 3 sitting.
You can hear the full sitting below:
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