assisted dying legislation

Psychiatrists warn assisted dying bill could undermine suicide prevention

A group of leading psychiatrists has warned that the Assisted Dying Bill is being rushed into law and could “undermine daily efforts to prevent suicide,” particularly among the elderly.

In a statement, 24 experts expressed alarm over the speed at which the legislation is progressing through parliament, urging that it be “overwhelmingly rejected”. They cautioned that the bill could place undue pressure on vulnerable individuals – such as those who are lonely, grieving, or feel like a burden – to end their lives rather than seek psychological or psychiatric support.

Last week, 50 expert witnesses gave evidence to a House of Commons committee over three days as MPs scrutinised the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, the bill would allow individuals with less than six months to live to legally end their lives. If passed, the law could take effect as early as 2027. In a letter to The Times, the psychiatrists said:

“We are alarmed at the haste of the committee considering the bill for assisted dying. Three days of oral evidence seems insufficient to consider such a huge question as doctor-assisted suicide. We hope there will be much more consideration of the written evidence in the weeks to come.

A law on doctor-assisted suicide will undermine the daily efforts of psychiatrists across the UK to prevent suicide. Those who have suicidal ideation at any time in life may be vulnerable to pressures to take their own life by the introduction of doctor-assisted suicide.

Vulnerability can arise due to external factors such as lack of decent palliative or social care; overt coercion or undue influence; personal losses including bereavement, poor housing or financial hardship. Internal factors may include major depressive disorder, a sense of burdensomeness, loneliness and social isolation. Understanding and responding to these vulnerabilities is at the centre of suicide prevention.”

The initial reluctance of the committee to see the need to call the Royal College of Psychiatrists to give evidence is in itself shocking and betrays a lacking understanding of the job that we do in understanding suicide and its prevention. This bill should be overwhelmingly rejected.”

The royal college said, in a written evidence that was submitted to the committee last week, said:

 “People at the end of life deserve high-quality psychiatric treatment. A wish to hasten death is strongly associated with depression.”

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