A report published by SPICe (the Scottish Parliament’s internal research centre) on the Assisted Dying (Scotland) Bill, includes reference to BIMA’s submission, alongside a broad spectrum of views. The report is a detailed summary of 21,000 submissions to the call for views by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee in summer 2024. It highlights key concerns such as the potential for coercion, the impact on healthcare professionals, and fears of a “slippery slope” towards more expansive legislation. While some supported the Bill for providing choice and dignity, the majority of detailed responses opposed it, advocating instead for improved palliative care and safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals.

BIMA’s submission outlined our opposition to the introduction of assisted dying. We highlighted concerns about the potential for coercion, particularly among vulnerable individuals, and questioned whether adequate safeguards could prevent abuse. BIMA also emphasised the ethical and professional challenges for healthcare workers. We expressed concerns about the erosion of trust in the doctor-patient relationship, stressing the principle of “do no harm,” and advocated for improving palliative care and addressing inequalities in end-of-life care access, rather than legalising assisted dying.

Read the full SPICe report here.

The results of BIMA’s assisted dying survey can be accessed here.