As you will know from my previous commentary on assisted dying, there is no greater issue more capable of dividing my constituents than assisted. That is why I went along to Dame Prue Leith’s parliamentary reception for ‘Dignity in Dying’ to discuss her reasons for supporting law reform and insights from her recent Channel 4 documentary, for which she visited North America to examine how assisted dying works there.
At the event, Dame Prue was joined by dying people and their loved ones and I was able to hear first-hand about their experience of the impact of our current law.
As you may already know, I cared for both of my parents in the later stages of their lives and our family was affected by a life changing brain injury which my father sustained at after being attacked at work. He went on to live a further 25 years in diminishing health and was lucky to survive such a catastrophic injury.
Therefore, I truly understand how hard it is for loved ones to see someone suffering, particularly over a prolonged period. Coping with long term or terminal illness is distressing and difficult, both for the patient and their families. These cases are truly moving, evoking the highest degree of compassion and emotion and I fully recognise no situation is the same.
The last time assisted dying was voted on in the Commons was in 2015 when the Assisted Dying Bill was debated as a Private Members’ Bill. The Bill was very narrow in scope and did not contain the vital safeguards that are necessary. The main issue I found with this Bill was that it would have allowed an individual diagnosed by two doctors as terminally ill and reasonably expected to have six months or less to live, to request assistance with ending their life. This did not sit comfortably with me. I have had friends and constituents who have been in this position including my father but have managed to overcome their battle and are now fighting fit or have had a greater quality of life for much longer than predicted or expected.
However, I fully accept that suicide, assisting or encouraging suicide, assisted dying and euthanasia are all subjects on which it is entirely possible for people to hold widely different but defensible opinions.
Please be assured, I will continue to closely follow this really important issue and keep my constituents updated on any further Parliamentary developments.
You can read more about my wider thoughts on assisted dying here: https://www.mimsdavies.org.uk/news/my-thoughts-assisted-dying