Saint Michael’s Hospice responds to Assisted Dying Bill vote

Following today’s House of Commons vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, our Chief Executive Tony Collins responds as below:

“Across our organisation, we believe in treating all patients as individuals and value choice. All healthcare decisions are guided by core ethical principles, legal frameworks and professional guidelines that are well established within healthcare provision. Every patient of ours is treated with dignity and respect for choice.

“We acknowledge the decision to move towards legislating for assisted dying to be introduced in England and Wales.

“As an independent charity working with dying and death, we will work closely with all those involved in the detail of the legislation, seeking to ensure that real choice, including reform to the government funding palliative and end of life care receives, is sustainably available for all. We will also seek to ensure that the vulnerable are well-protected and safeguarded.

“If voted through, and as the legislation takes shape over the coming weeks and months, we will consider and plan the involvement of our services. This will be part of our purpose and mission to provide good experiences of dying for those we serve, with dignity and individual choices in mind.

“There will then be much more detail to come in this process, and as an organisation, we will regularly review and update our position.”

“This issue may bring up a range of different emotions for some people. Our Just ‘B’ team, part of our family of services and wider charity, is here for you via Just ‘B’ Hear to Help.”