About this advice

Assisted dying is due to be introduced and discussed in UK Parliaments in 2024, with a view to potential legislation. It is essential that healthcare professionals understand the complexities surrounding this issue, and engage in the political discussions that will shape the final decisions on adopting assisted dying in the UK.

What is Assisted Dying?

Assisted dying refers to health professionals providing assistance to individuals wanting to end their life. This may be terminally ill adults, but scope in other countries has extended to people suffering from chronic and mental health issues, and children. Assisted dying may be assisted suicide, or assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Should Assisted Dying be a Medical Duty?

The NHS is under unprecedented pressure with severe workforce challenges. Recent healthcare scandals and care quality concerns have eroded patient trust. In this context, it is unclear why assisted dying ought be introduced as a medical responsibility, to be managed and delivered by healthcare staff.

Does Introducing Assisted Dying Risk Vulnerable Patients?

Our UK health and social care systems are overwhelmed. In this context, vulnerable individuals who have unmet needs and feel like a burden, will face implicit coercion to undertake assisted dying. Introducing assisted dying will divert time, energy and finances that could be used instead to fix current failures in care quality, which lead people to fear suffering and bad deaths.

The Assessment of Capacity in Patients Requesting Assisted Dying is Not Clear-Cut

Mental capacity assessment for assisted dying is complex. There is a lack of consensus among experts on standards and methods. Doctors are no more qualified to assess capacity for assisted dying than social care workers or legal professionals.

Ethnic Minority Groups Have Lower Access to Palliative Care with Higher Levels of Medical Mistrust

If assisted dying is introduced, community concerns about lethal medication administration being normalised in healthcare decision-making, is likely to worsen access to healthcare and end-of-life care, and subsequent outcomes.

Equitable Delivery of High Quality Palliative Care is the Right Answer to the Question of Suffering at the End of Life

Current poorly-funded palliative care in the UK underscores the need for comprehensive, integrated and holistic, person-centred services available around the clock, in all regions of the UK.

Learn about assisted dying in Scotland

Further links

BIMA Rapid Response: Re: It’s time for all doctors to engage on assisted dying

BIMA Infographic on Assisted Dying