The Assisted Dying Bill on the Isle of Man has passed a key hurdle, with a majority of amendments to the Bill being accepted. My Death, My Decision, whose local Isle of Man branch has been campaigning strongly for a law, welcomes this compassionate move.
Today, Members of the House of Keys, the Isle of Man’s lower house, voted on changes to the Bill made by the Legislative Council, the upper chamber. They chose to support changes including:
- A mandatory referral to a psychiatrist if there are doubts about the patient’s mental capacity.
- Specific training for healthcare professionals to identify coercion, duress or pressure.
- A person must be registered as a patient with a GP practice on the island
However, they rejected an amendment to cut the residency criteria from five years to 12 months before a patient can access the scheme.
The Bill will go back to the upper chamber on the 11th March, if they accept the final changes the Bill will go to Royal Assent and the Isle of Man will be the first part of the British Isles to legalise assisted dying with the choice of assisted dying potentially available to terminally ill residents from 2027.
The Bill would give terminally ill Manx residents with fewer than twelve months to live the choice of receiving help to end their own life. The Bill proposed in Westminster is limited to people with six months’ life expectancy or less.
Our former chair, Trevor Moore, visited Tynwald in June 2023, to make the case for parliamentarians to vote for a compassionate assisted dying law that will help end unnecessary suffering for those who so choose.
Trevor Moore, Board Member of My Death, My Decision said:
“The members of the House of Keys are to be applauded for taking this historic step. They have engaged positively with the debate, with arguments put forward from all sides in good faith. We hope that Westminster will pay attention to this, and follow in their footsteps.
We would like to thank our passionate campaigners on the island, like Vicky Christian who chairs our local group there. They have done extraordinary work to ensure that the voices of people who have been deeply affected by the current unjust assisted dying laws are heard.”
Vicky Christian, Chair of My Death, My Decision Isle of Man said:
“This is a historic step, and is likely the last time the Bill will be debated in the lower chamber. This Bill will ensure people on the Isle of Man will finally have choice and dignity at the end of their lives. I am incredibly proud of our island for not only listening to its people but, more importantly, listening to those facing the end of life. In this debate, compassion and evidence have prevailed.
I want to thank the members of the House of Keys for their dedication to this cause. But above all, I want to thank the individuals who shared their personal stories and stood with us throughout this journey—this has truly been a campaign led by the people.”
Notes:
Members of the MDMD team, as well as individuals affected by the current law on assisted dying, are available for interview upon request
For further comment or information, media should contact Nathan Stilwell at nathan.stilwell@mydeath-mydecision.org.uk or phone 07456200033.
Media can use the following press images and videos, as long as they are attributed to “My Death, My Decision”.
My Death, My Decision is a grassroots campaign group that wants the law in England and Wales to allow mentally competent adults who are terminally ill or intolerably suffering from an incurable condition the option of a legal, safe, and compassionate assisted death. With the support of over 3,000 members and supporters, we advocate for an evidence-based law that would balance individual choice alongside robust safeguards and finally give the people of England and Wales choice at the end of their lives.
