The British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA), in collaboration with ten other ethnic minority medical organisations, has published an open letter reiterating its firm opposition to Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill which MPs will vote on this Friday (29th November 2024). Together, these organisations represent thousands of healthcare professionals serving diverse communities across the UK.
Co-signatories include:
- Asian Professionals’ National Alliance (APNA NHS)
- Association of Pakistani Physicians of Northern Europe (APPNE)
- Association of Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons UK (APPS UK)
- British Arab Nursing and Midwifery Association (BANMA)
- British Somali Medical Association (BSMA)
- Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN)
- Muslim Doctors’ Association (MDA)
- NHS Muslim Network
- NHS Muslim Women’s Network
- United Iraqi Medical Association UK & Ireland (UIMA UK&I)
We are raising a collective concern that the proposed legislation lacks essential safeguards and poses a significant risk of coercion, particularly for vulnerable groups. BIMA’s position aligns with palliative care specialists, legal experts, disability campaigners, and academics who have voiced their opposition to the bill.
BIMA recognises the immense challenges faced by individuals living with terminal illnesses. However, the Assisted Dying Bill introduces profound ethical, medical, and societal risks. Our priority as healthcare professionals is to safeguard the vulnerable, and this bill fails to address critical issues such as coercion and inequities in access to care.
BIMA and its allied organisations are instead urging the government to prioritise closing the gaps in pain management and improving access to high-quality palliative care. They stress that focusing on these areas will provide compassionate and comprehensive support for patients without introducing the risks associated with assisted dying legislation.
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