Assisted dying bill passed.

There's a long way to go yet before it become law. I just wish we could have a similar law here in Scotland.

Oh, thank goodness for that. What a relief (for now). Common sense and compassion have prevailed.

I won't have to pack my bags and emigrate to Canada.

I'm glad it passed and hope they get it done but with cast iron fail safe in place. I've heard people say if palliative care was better this wouldn't be necessary but that is not always the case. I lost my Dad in 2019, he was mid 80s with terminal cancer and alzheimers and went into a lovely care home for end of life care when we were told he had a few days up to a week left to live. His death dragged on for almost 12 weeks and was horrendous for him, and awful for the family to watch him deteriorate slowly over a prolonged period. Apart from morphine and calming drugs there was little anyone could do for him.
Before he lost capacity some 6 months earlier he had had enough and was often upset saying if he were a dog they'd put him out of his misery .. he was diagnosed and had major surgery 8 years before this which left him in a less than ideal position.
I know if he had the option to end it sooner he would have. Even the nurses that cared for him agreed his death was not dignified

I'm one of the "slippery slope" brigade and honestly feel that life as we know it will change irreparably should this actually go though, which we're told it probably will. Sad, sad day.

I’m with you on this twinnytwin as are an awful lot of GP’s.

If it gets passed onto the statue books, the relationship between doctors and patients will be irrevocably changed for ever.

I’m of the mind that I’m pleased people are being given the choice, but I feel very strongly that care and in particular palliative care should be top class before I would consider choice to be absolutely in a proper balance.

If they were allowed to give as much morphine as the patient needed to be rid of the pain at end of life, the patient could control that themselves. At its best palliative care can be pain free, but if you watched the tv programme last night and saw how devastating cuts has resulted in one hospice getting rid of 23 highly qualified palliative care nurses. The conclusion was by the experts its a post code lottery how you die. Its cheaper to get rid people.

MissInterpreted

There's a long way to go yet before it become law. I just wish we could have a similar law here in Scotland.

À step in the right direction.

Me too wishing we could have it in Scotland MissInterpretated

DH had a letter published in The Herald explaining that his experience of end of life care left so much to be desired and further, being in his shoes you would understand why a law for assisted dying would be a blessed relief not only for him but his family having to witness his deterioration in constant agony.

The weeks before DH died in late August this year, he was begging for more pain relief. Sadly the highest doses of legal pain relief no longer touched the excruciating pain he was enduring. He was begging our GP for help, she was in tears explaining to DH that her and I would face being arrested should we assist in following out his wish.

I'm not sure how I feel now it has passed. I watched a lot of he debate and was impressed with speakers from both sides.

I asked my MP to vote against it but haven't had time to check yet. I don't supposeshe would have taken notice of me anyway.

It isn't a massive vote in favour. There are lots of checks to be made before it even gets to another vote. However, I feel a sense of inevitability that we are moving into a society which puts solittle value on human life.

So, yes playing God I think so, but it seems people believe these days they are their own Gods so it is difficult to stand against this desperate view of the world.

We need compassion yes, but we also need care.

I keep thinking of Dylan Thomas' poem; 'Do not go gentle into that good night,
old age should burn and rave at close of day
rage, rage against the dying of the light...'

I for one will not go gentle either... for anyone's convenience. I hope to go very noisily indeed!

I’m not convinced of your argument twinnytwin because the ability to take one’s life is finally decided by the courts and the doctors will not be to euthanasia people, the fatal drug will be self administered.

Cast iron fail safe ? Not in human nature

I'm sorry your husband had to go through that experience, Kalu.

It was a point I had made when I argued for the bill to be passed - there are some diseases where pain relief just doesn't work. And no amount of exceptional palliative care would change that.

It's an awful decision which will impact the most vulnerable.
I always thought it would be the gender nonsense that made me leave the labour party but apparently not, it is this decision which has been the final straw. And yes I know it was a free vote.

Kalu

MissInterpreted

There's a long way to go yet before it become law. I just wish we could have a similar law here in Scotland.

À step in the right direction.

Me too wishing we could have it in Scotland MissInterpretated

DH had a letter published in The Herald explaining that his experience of end of life care left so much to be desired and further, being in his shoes you would understand why a law for assisted dying would be a blessed relief not only for him but his family having to witness his deterioration in constant agony.

The weeks before DH died in late August this year, he was begging for more pain relief. Sadly the highest doses of legal pain relief no longer touched the excruciating pain he was enduring. He was begging our GP for help, she was in tears explaining to DH that her and I would face being arrested should we assist in following out his wish.

I had a similar experience when my Father died 40 years ago. My sister who was a nurse explained to me that the doctors could not overdose a patient because there's always be someone who would report them.

Vets do not want to euthanase healthy animals but accept that sick dogs and cats can be put to sleep. They will recommend that the pet goes to a shelter until a new home is found. One of my pet dogs was a case. He was 6 and the vet refused and he was taken to a shelter where I found him.

Whitewavemark2

I’m not convinced of your argument twinnytwin because the ability to take one’s life is finally decided by the courts and the doctors will not be to euthanasia people, the fatal drug will be self administered.

Where is this drug stored before it is taken?
How soon would it be given to the patient and where would they store it, presuming they do have control over when it is taken?
Does it have to be issued by a doctor? What if this doctor isn't there at the time of request?
What is someone else gets hold of it ie family member, and uses it themselves or on someone else?
I suspect these are the sort of things that have been taken into account- have they?

What a Pandora's box we have opened...

I'm pleased it's got through this initial stage. It was pretty close; 330 votes to 275.

I'm glad that the bill has passed the first vote.

I’m so relieved to hear this. I haven’t been listening to the debate. Much as I approve of it I don’t want to think about it too much. I do wonder, as someone that worked in the NHS, which doctors will be ok with working in this area and how hospices will deal with it. I never understand why hospices are charities when they play such an important role. I know this is a bit morbid but the only reason why I haven’t signed up for Pure cremation is the worry that I might one day have to take myself off to Dignitas. As with making a will, power of attorney etc, the passing of this bill means that I don’t have to overthink it. I just hope all the necessary safeguards will be put in place.

DH had a very high threshold for drugs. No amount of morphine, fentanyl, diazepam mix killed his pain. On the contrary, such a mix resulted in nightmarish hallucinations to terrify him but still in agony.

His personal desperate view of the world and not being religious, didn’t believe in any god.

Absolutely disgusting decision. Look to Canada for the terrible problems it has caused there. And I speak as one who has 2 close relations with stage 4 cancer.

Smileless2012

I'm pleased it's got through this initial stage. It was pretty close; 330 votes to 275.

I didn't think the result was that close - not as neck-and-neck as the media had been predicting, at least.

If they are making the rules the same as in Oregon USA then doctors can elect to not participate so doctors who do participate might be scarce.

I am pleased this got through. I watched both my lovely parents die in excruciating pain despite doses of morphine. Their deaths were certainly not peaceful or dignified. I don’t want to put my children through the same helplessness as I experienced in not being able to help or comfort them.

I just don't know. I can't decide one way or the other but, bottom line, I suppose I'm a bit worried that this has passed. There's still a way to go though and tight changes can be made. Oh dear. 🤔