Hospices at Risk of Closure Over Assisted Dying Fears

Palliative care doctors have expressed concerns that hospices may lose funding if they refuse to offer assisted dying services, potentially leading to closure. A group of almost 350 clinicians have written to the Health Secretary, urging clarity on protections for providers. The proposed legislation, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, would allow terminally ill adults to apply for help to end their lives, but medical professionals and employers may not be able to opt out of participating.

Key Takeaways:

• The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill proposes allowing terminally ill adults in England and Wales to apply for help to end their lives with six months left to live.
• Medical professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, and social care workers, would have the right to refuse to take part in providing assisted dying.
• However, the Bill as currently drafted does not allow employers, including hospices and care homes, the right to refuse to offer assisted dying on their premises.
• A group of 347 working clinicians, including 124 consultants and doctors in palliative medicine, have written to the Health Secretary demanding clarity on protections for hospices and care homes.
• The clinicians warned that some hospices may be forced to close if they are denied NHS funding because they are unwilling to participate in the provision of assisted suicide.
• The Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel De Souza, warned that teenagers were concerned about the possibility of the eligibility of assisted dying expanding to cover 16 and 17 year-olds.
• Campaigners have pointed to the example of a hospice in British Columbia, Canada, which was forced to close its doors after the Government pulled $1.5million of funding when it refused to offer medical assistance in dying.

Statistics:

• 347 working clinicians have written to the Health Secretary demanding clarity on protections for hospices and care homes.
• 124 consultants and doctors in palliative medicine were among the clinicians who signed the letter.
• The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would allow terminally ill adults with six months left to live to apply for help to end their lives.
• The Bill as currently drafted does not provide protections for employers, including hospices and care homes, to opt out of offering assisted dying on their premises.
• A hospice in British Columbia, Canada, was forced to close its doors after being denied $1.5million in funding when it refused to offer medical assistance in dying.

Sources:

• The letter from the 347 working clinicians was sent to Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, but no further details on the exact date or publication date were provided in the text.
• The Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel De Souza, was quoted in the article, but no further details on the exact date or publication date were provided in the text.
• The example of the hospice in British Columbia, Canada, was mentioned in the article, but no further details on the exact date or publication date were provided in the text.