Jersey vote on assisted dying is not the end, says Care Not Killing

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Source: Care Not Killing

Jersey has voted to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults, becoming the second of the British Isles to do so after the Isle of Man. The vote on Thursday, after three days of debate, was 32 in favour and 16 against. The bill will now go for royal assent.

Under the bill, a person with a terminal illness "who is experiencing or is expected to experience unbearable physical suffering" and die within six months, or 12 months with certain neurodegenerative conditions, will be able to choose to end their own life.

Care Not Killing has warned that today's vote in Jersey is not the end of the process, as it says there are significant legal and constitutional obstacles, such as complying with the European Convention on Human Rights and whether the provisions of the Bill are compatible with the UK's obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing, commented: "Before the Health Minister, Deputy Tom Binet, does a victory lap in legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia on Jersey, he would do well to remember that the Bill faces many challenges, not least does it protect the vulnerable, disabled people and those at risk of being coerced? Given the lengthy delay we have seen with a less permissive Bill from the Isle of Man, the answer seems to be 'highly unlikely'.

"When matters as sensitive and life-altering as assisted dying are brought before a legislative body, there is a clear requirement to protect vulnerable people; in some cases, this means treating them differently to ensure they are not pressured into ending their lives. There are also significant unanswered questions with the Bill as to how it will operate with many doctors, including those who visit the island to provide specialist services, indicating that they do not want to be involved in killing their patients."

Dr Macdonald concluded: "We need to care for people who are suffering, not encourage them or provide them with a mechanism to end their lives. This is why we champion the extension of high-quality palliative care to all those who need it and better support for their families. This is the real progressive agenda, and why we argue for care not killing."

Care Not Killing is a UK-based alliance bringing together over 40 organisations - human rights and disability rights organisations, health care and palliative care groups, faith-based organisations groups - and thousands of concerned individuals.

We have three key aims:

to promote more and better palliative care;
to ensure that existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened or repealed;
to inform public opinion further against any weakening of the law.

If you would like to talk with someone about issues raised in this article, the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day. Call free on 116 123 or visit: www.samaritans.org

Read more about Care Not Killing: https://carenotkilling.org.uk/