Labour MP Kim Leadbeater is tabling an amendment to assisted dying legislation so ‘no person is under any duty to participate in the provision of assistance’ to end someone’s life
Pharmacists and support staff will be given the right to opt out of the assisted dying process under changes proposed to a new law.
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater is tabling an amendment to legislation passing through Parliament to legalise assisted dying, which states “no person is under any duty to participate in the provision of assistance”.
It will extend the opt-out mechanism to pharmacists and ancillary staff such as admin assistants, as only doctors and other health professionals are currently able to refuse to take part. No reason would have to be given for opting out.
The Employment Rights Act will also be amended to ensure that nobody can be dismissed or face any disciplinary action for choosing not to participate.
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It comes as the bill returns to Parliament next week after months of detailed scrutiny of how a state-run assisted dying service could work. A crucial vote on whether it becomes law is expected in mid June.
The bill would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist.
Ms Leadbeater, who is spearheading the bill, said: “Nobody will be at risk of any detriment to their careers if, for any reason at all, they chose not to take part. Choice is at the heart of the Bill. Assisted dying is not for everyone and nor should it be.
“But for those who do make that choice, the Bill that MPs will be debating again in less that two weeks, contains even more protections and is more effective and workable than it was before.”
She added: “I am firmly of the view that the overall impact of this long overdue reform will be to make end of life care in England and Wales more compassionate and significantly safer.”
It comes after Government estimates suggested up to 12 people a day could use an assisted dying service in England and Wales by the end of the first decade.
The impact assessment estimated the total number of assisted deaths would range between 164 and 787 in the first year, to between 1,042 and 4,559 in the tenth year. The central estimate is that 2,183 people would use the service by year 10.
Setting up expert panels and establishing a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner would cost between £10.9 million to £13.6 million per year, the document said.
End of life care costs could be reduced by an estimated £10million in the first year and almost £60million after 10 years – but saving money is “not stated as an objective of the policy”, the assessment said.
MPs voted by 330 to 275 in favour of legalising assisted dying in November. However, staunch opposition remains as the legislation passes through its Commons stages.
Opposition campaigners are concerned that vulnerable people could be coerced or feel pressured into ending their lives. Critics have also raised fears it could divert focus from the stretched palliative care system.
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