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Today, the Committee which is examining the Terminally Ill Adults Bill, heard evidence from a range of experts.

Here’s our summary of the session:

Session 1:

• Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer
• Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer

Sir Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England, told the Committee examining assisted dying legislation that “It’s important that the wishes of the patient must be respected, we must think about the wishes of someone in the last six months of their life and their family”.

“The central people here is a person, an average citizen in the last 6 months of their life. What we don’t want is a system that is very difficult for them to navigate so they spend the entire last 6 months of their life, if this bill is passed and they choose to take account of it, essentially stuck in a bureaucratic thicket.

We do need to keep this simple. My view is that the best safeguards are simple safeguards. Overcomplicating actually usually makes a safeguard less certain.”

Whitty highlighted that many of the issues that clinicians will face in this Bill would already be standard training and guidance practices. He said: “It’s a normal part of medical practice to consider issues of consent and mental capacity, and that can include refusing treatment”

Duncan Burton, the Chief Nursing Officer, told the committee: “All of our nursing staff, clinical staff have safeguarding training, that already looks at things like financial coercion or other forms of abuse so that training is already in place and is extensive across social care.”

Chris Whitty told committee members to stick with the Mental Capacity Act when it comes to checking capacity for assisted dying, explaining that it is a normal part of medical practice to consider issues of consent and mental capacity.

Session 2: 

• Dr Andrew Green, Chair, BMA Medical Ethics Committee
• Mark Swindells, Assistant Director at the General Medical Council

Dr Andrew Green, Chair was asked if doctors should be prohibited from talking about assisted dying to their patients. He replied: “Please do not pass legislation that makes it harder for doctors to understand their patients.”

He also raised that the training and experience of a doctor was more important than explicitly outlining in the law how many years of practice they must have. 

The Committee spoke at length about conscientious objection, allowing doctors to opt out of participating in assisted dying. Committee members and experts pointed to abortion legislation, which has some similarities. Mark Swindells told the committee: “In the case of conscientious objection, it’s important to take the patient’s perspective that they aren’t left with nowhere to go.”

Session 3:

• Glyn Berry Co-Chair at Association of Palliative Care Social Workers
• Professor Nicola Ranger, Royal College of Nursing, Chief Executive and General Secretary.

When asked by Dr Marie Tidball MP: “You would believe that your members would be able to pick up & identify issues like coercion?”, Professor Nicola Ranger said: “I do. They’re professional and I believe they would.”. She told the committee:

“Recognising abuse is the responsibility of every nurse now… It’s a good and simple process. You don’t have to investigate yourself, you have to refer to be investigated. Our job is to be vigilant.”

Professor Nicola said the role of a nurse is to listen and advocate for the patient: 

“It’s really listening to what people have to say, having a way to ensure that what an individual wants is something you listen to. I absolutely agree with all the points around safeguards, about all of those things. The whole point of assisted dying is not to be paternalistic, but to respect autonomy, whatever safeguards we ever put in with that we have to be really careful not to ignore that right to autonomy, which is primarily what we are trying to do with this bill.”

Glyn Berry advocated a multi-disciplinary approach: 

 “Our expertise and strength is being able to ask difficult questions, and really dig into people’s thoughts, feelings and opinions and giving them the opportunity to say things they would have never said in their whole lifetime”

Claire Macdonald, Director of My Death, My Decision says:

“From the evidence given today, it’s clear that the Terminally Ill Adults Bill is workable with current legislation like the Mental Capacity Act and that there’s already extensive guidance and training around safeguarding issues.

It’s also vital that the system takes into account that the person going through it has only a few months to live and should not face “a bureaucratic thicket” as the Chief Medical Officer put it.  We must keep things simple.

We are glad that MPs are listening closely to the evidence and the experts, and we hope this Bill will pass its subsequent stages through further respectful and essential debate.”

What’s Next:

This was the first oral evidence session, which will take place over three days and examine nearly 50 witnesses. The sessions will be followed by line-by-line scrutiny of the Bill, where a committee of MPs will look at the details and suggest changes. 

Introduced by the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater MBE, the Bill will allow adults who are terminally ill with six months or fewer left to live to ask for help to end their own lives. In November, MPs voted on the principle of this legislation, passing the second reading 330 votes to 275. 

The Bill applies to England and Wales only. A private member’s bill in Scotland by Liam McArthur MSP has been introduced in the Scottish Parliament.

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.

MPs have voted in favour of assisted dying by 55 votes. This is a historic step and finally puts parliament in line with public opinion. After years of campaigning, My Death, My Decision welcomes this long overdue result and looks forward to supporting the Bill through its next stages.

The result of the vote at the 2nd Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was:

330 in favour, 

275 against, 

45 abstentions. 

213 more MPs voted in favour compared to the last meaningful vote in 2015, where 117 voted for, 329 against. This number no doubt reflects the continued bravery of countless individuals who have spoken up about this issue over recent weeks, months and years.,

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision says:

“Thousands of people will be heartened by this result. Every day, 20 people in the UK are suffering unbearable pain at the end of their lives despite receiving the best possible care. For them, the choices are stark and harrowing: travel to Switzerland, and end their life by suicide, stop eating or drinking, or face an agonising natural death. These people deserve better. They deserve the dignity of choice at the end of their lives, and we are relieved to see MPs acknowledge this. 

We are glad that MPs listened to the public and the evidence, and we hope this Bill will pass its subsequent stages through further respectful and essential debate.”

Justian Hansen will forever be affected by the memories of his mother’s agonising death from cancer in 2021, at the age of 82. Witnessing her final weeks has solidified Justian’s support for the legalisation of assisted dying. Justian said:

“I would not wish anyone to hold the memory of my mothers’s final week. There was no saving her – no last-second miracle cure – nothing but a slow agonising pain-filled death by starvation. She was fully capable and able and when she could endure no more, she said: ‘Tonight- that’s enough, this pain is too much, let me go.’ I would give anything to have her here today, but I would give everything to have given her what she wanted.”

“I am so relieved to see that politicians have done the right thing today. My dear mother deserved so much more than begging to die. I know it is too late for her, but it isn’t too late for others and this is another step towards dying people being shown compassion. Today is a good day.”

Introduced by the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater MBE, the Bill will allow adults who are terminally ill with six months or fewer left to live to ask for help to end their own lives. This vote is only one step in the passage of this legislation, and the Bill will now go to a Committee Stage for several months of scrutiny before a final vote in the House of Commons next year. 

The Bill applies to England and Wales only. A private member’s bill in Scotland by Liam McArthur MSP has been introduced in the Scottish Parliament.

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.

A representative from DIGNITAS has told MPs that assisted dying at the Swiss centre is “safe, peaceful and compassionate” for the people who end their lives there. Silvan Luley, a representative of ‘DIGNITAS – to live with dignity, die with dignity’, spoke to politicians at a closed-room briefing organised by My Death, My Decision.

Speaking about the process of assisted dying, Silvan explained the end-of-life medication used at DIGNITAS is similar to medication used for anaesthetics. The patient falls asleep within seconds or minutes of taking the medication, and often dies within the hour and the process is peaceful.

Silvan said:

“The ‘horror stories’ you may have read in the press recently, with people taking hundreds of pills or people choking, is complete and utter nonsense.”

Clare Turner,  a mum of two from Devon who has stage 4 breast cancer, rescheduled her chemotherapy treatments to talk to MPs. Clare said:

“I want to avoid pain, indignity and suffering, but I’m also aspirational because I want a good death. I want to die being grateful for the miracle of my life. I have an oak tree that sweeps over my garden. I lie under it and watch the owls and the stars. It provides shade for picnics with friends. It’s where I want to die; under the shade of my oak tree. I want to die feeling grateful for the miracle that is life.

I feel a lot of this conversation is fear-based, and that fear leads to so much what-iffery.“

Dr. Martin Scurr, GP, former Medical Director of St John’s Hospice and Daily Mail medical columnist, recounted two stories from his medical past about doctors assisting their patients to have an assisted death. One story involved a Catholic priest asking a doctor to help an elderly nun with a terminal illness to die peacefully. Scurr said that modern medical governance is so strict that this could not happen any more.

He said: 

“Not giving people control at the end of their lives is maleficent and therefore goes against one of the four pillars of medicine. With palliative sedation, the patient is parked in a semi-delirious sleep state, maybe they’re not suffering but you’ve taken away their control.

What about ‘First do no harm’? By not allowing assisted dying you are doing harm!”

Professor Emily Jackson, Professor of Law at the LSE, specialising in medical law, told MPs that the so-called ‘slippery slope’ does not exist. This is a matter for parliament to decide and it’s parliament’s job to legislate. Commenting on the debate so far, 

Emily said:

“The hypothetical suffering of an imaginary person seems to get so much more oxygen and attention than the people who are suffering right now.

‘In the UK, patients with capacity can already make decisions that will result in their death. Patients have the right to refuse life-prolonging treatment. In this circumstance, we already have mechanisms for doctors to decide if patients are under coercion. Why can’t we apply these mechanisms and these judgements in the assisted dying situation? We also already have excellent laws and systems in other situations where coercion needs to be identified. An example would be the protection of reproductive rights.”

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision said:

“We are grateful to the excellent speakers at the briefing, using their considerable professional experience to debunk the misinformation put out by opponents, many of whom disagree with assisted dying for their own personal reasons, but fabricate negative stories as a smokescreen.

Our key message to MPs is that if they reject the Leadbeater Bill they will force many to suffer unnecessarily, because we know that palliative care cannot help many thousands of suffering people. Beyond that, they have choices that are harrowing not only for them, but also for their loved ones. Can you look those people in the eye and tell them you don’t support a compassionate choice that will allow them a calm and dignified death?”

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.

The Isle of Man moved one step closer to a compassionate assisted dying law today, as Dr Alex Allinson’s Assisted Dying Bill passed the clauses stage. My Death, My Decision welcomes this historic move but is disappointed that the Bill won’t give the incurably suffering, who are not necessarily terminally ill, this end-of-life choice.

The House of Keys, the lower house of Tynwald, Isle of Man’s parliament, made several amendments to the Bill published in May.

• People who have been given 12 months left to live by a doctor will be eligible, rather than six months 
• Patients must be a resident of the Isle of Man for a minimum of five years, rather than one year. 
• Attempts to severely limit access for eligible patients and to remove the choice from healthcare entirely were defeated. 
• Doctors will not be allowed to administer assisted dying, patients will have to take medication themselves.

There were also several delaying tactics by clear opponents of the Bill. There was a vote to postpone the debate until November, for no apparent reason, 14 votes to 9.

Opponents also produced a last-minute amendment to require a referendum on assisted dying, voted down by 12 to 11. If opponents were sincere about a referendum being required, the motion could have been introduced or even suggested two years ago, when Dr Alex sought leave to introduce the assisted dying bill.

The debate’s earlier session heard an emotional plea against the referendum amendment from Sue Biggerstaff whose late husband Simon suffered a horrific death from motor neurone disease (MND). Simon’s life, as he endured paralysis from the neck down within just two months of his diagnosis, ended in avoidable pain and suffering. 

Mrs Biggerstaff told politicians: “There was a total loss of dignity. He couldn’t speak properly, couldn’t do anything… There were so many horrible, horrible things happening to him. Nobody should have to live through it. It’s just awful. Awful.”

The Bill will soon have its third reading, before moving onto the Legislative Council, the Isle of Man’s upper chamber, for further debate. It could then receive Royal Assent in 2025, followed by consideration of how the law will be implemented. Assisted dying could potentially be available to terminally ill people from 2027.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision said:

“Today we have seen historic developments as the Isle of Man moves toward a compassionate option for people at the end of their life. We’ve also seen the unfortunate side of politics, with attempts to delay, confuse and distract. Politicians on the Isle of Man should be commended for seeing through this, and supporting the continued progress of Dr Alex Allinson’s Bill – reflecting the overwhelming public support.

At My Death, My Decision we believe that competent adults who are intolerably suffering from incurable conditions  – like locked-in syndrome, or for example paralysed after an accident – deserve the choice of an assisted, dignified death. A more compassionate approach to the assisted dying debate is possible”

Notes

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.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has been published and is available here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3774/publications

Although narrower in scope than the law it has campaigned for, My Death, My Decision welcomes the Bill in providing politicians with the opportunity to have a proper debate of the issue. That process will start with the second reading debate in the House of Commons on 29th November. 

If MPs vote in favour it will then be subject to a lengthy process of scrutiny, first by a Commons committee and then by both Houses of Parliament, during which time it can be amended. It will become law only if both chambers support it in further separate votes next year.

Key elements of the Bill are:

• The right to ask for help to die will be limited to people who have six months or fewer left to live;
• Two independent doctors must be satisfied that the person is eligible and must, if necessary, consult a specialist in their condition and receive an assessment from an expert in mental capacity;
• The application then goes before a High Court judge who must hear from at least one of the doctors and may hear from and question the person making the application and anybody else they consider appropriate;
• No doctor will be under any obligation to participate in any part of the process;
• If all the above safeguards and protections are met and the person still wishes to proceed, the medication must be self-administered.

With its six months time criterion the Bill will follow the format adopted by all of the states in the USA and several in Australia that allow assisted dying, and so will exclude most people with conditions like Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Multiple Sclerosis from having the option of an assisted death. Debate of these cases will no doubt arise as the Bill progresses through the different stages of scrutiny.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death, My Decision, said:

“This is a bittersweet moment. On the one hand, the introduction of an assisted dying Bill in the House of Commons is a significant and long-awaited step. We commend Kim Leadbeater MP for putting forward the case for change, and we wholeheartedly support efforts to end the inhumane blanket ban on assisted dying.

Many conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Motor Neurone Disease can make life intolerable for the sufferer well before they can be described as terminal, or the diagnosis of terminal status may come too late, when the patient has lost mental capacity. My Death, My Decision will make sure that parliamentarians consider these cases as the Bill progresses.”

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.

Kim Leadbeater MP has formally introduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)

The Bill will “allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life; and for connected purposes”

My Death, My Decision welcomes this historic step, but is disappointed that the title of the Bill includes ‘terminally ill’, because those words limit the Bill’s permitted contents, meaning this Bill will exclude people who are suffering unbearably but are not necessarily terminally ill. 

It’s not impossible to amend long and short titles of Bills, but it’s incredibly rare and often done for technical reasons.

The Bill will exclude most people with conditions like Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Multiple Sclerosis from having the option of an assisted death. Recently, we revealed that more than half of the Brits going to Switzerland wouldn’t be helped by a bill limited to people who are dying with six months left to live or fewer.

On Monday, we published a joint letter urging parliamentarians to consider a wider law. Many of the signatories would not be helped by a law limited to the terminally ill.

The full Bill should be published within the next few weeks, the 2nd reading will take place on the 29th November.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death My Decision, said:

“This is a bittersweet moment. On the one hand, the introduction of an assisted dying Bill in the House of Commons is a significant and long-awaited step. We commend Kim Leadbeater MP for putting forward the case for change, and we wholeheartedly support efforts to end the inhumane blanket ban on assisted dying.

Many conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Motor Neurone Disease can make life intolerable for the sufferer well before they can be described as terminal, or the diagnosis of terminal status may come too late, when the patient has lost mental capacity. My Death, My Decision aims to represent these people, and we will continue to do so as the Bill progresses.”

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.

Dear Kim Leadbeater MP,

Firstly, we thank you for bringing forward an assisted dying bill. This will be one of the most significant ethical issues of our generation. As a group—some living with incurable conditions, others having seen loved ones suffer—we all believe that people enduring intolerable suffering deserve choice and dignity. 

We urge that any law should not be limited to those with six months or fewer to live. It should include adults of sound mind who are suffering unbearably from an incurable physical condition and have a clear, settled wish to die. The safeguards must be clear and robust to protect everyone involved, but the process should not be so complex that it causes unnecessary suffering or people dying before they can exercise their choice.

Too many have been forced to suffer in silence or travel abroad to access end-of-life options. Assisted dying is not about giving up on life; it’s about offering a compassionate choice when suffering becomes unbearable. Each of us has a story that could have ended differently with the right legislation in place. 

We ask you to ensure that this law allows individuals autonomy over their own lives, with the support and protection of the law.

Thank you again for championing this issue. We trust you will continue to listen to those most affected and support a fair, compassionate law.

Yours sincerely,

Colin Barnes Amanda Clement-Hayes Carole Clohesy Patrica Donoghue Jean Eveleigh Bryan and Annie Grayson Anne Jappie Nikki Davey and Helena Killip Sophie Korevaar Sue Lawford Vivien Mainwaring Lauren, Beth and Jane Nicklinson

Clare Powell Craig Scott George Smith Dave Sowry Laura Tomlinson Penny Truscott Kate and Sarah Tuckley Clare Turner Jane Vervoots Tim Wardle Gemma Williams

Information of signatories:

 

	Colin Barnes	Colin’s wife Jane suffered from multiple sclerosis and expressed a wish to die. Jane was in excruciating pain over most of her body, she suffered many spasms, she was bed-bound and she could not eat or drink. She died in 2023, weeks after speaking to the Mirror about her experience.
	Amanda Clement-Hayes	Amanda’s father-in-law, Eddy, died just ten weeks after a bladder cancer diagnosis. He had a brutally painful death in a hospice and Amanda believes he should have had a choice.
	Carole Clohesy	Carole’s mother lived with severe pain for most of her life, starting with a spinal injury that led to years of inadequate pain management. Her suffering only got worse as she aged due to osteoarthritis and other health problems.
	Patrica Donoghue	Patricia’s husband Kevan had a terrible death after a shock cancer diagnosis. Patricia is a retired nurse practitioner and couldn’t believe how much pain her husband was in. He died after not eating or drinking for three weeks as a result of his illness.
	Jean Eveleigh	Jean Eveleigh has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic, degenerative condition that is progressively robbing Jean of all her bodily functions. Jean firmly believes the place and timing of her death should be her choice when she no longer has any quality of life.
	Bryan and Annie Grayson	Bryan and Annie watched on as Annie’s father Harry suffered an inhumane death against his wishes. He was not terminally ill, but was never going to get better, only decline. Aged 102, Harry starved to death in order to have control.
	Anne Jappie	Anne has Multiple Sclerosis and is in her late 60’s. She can no longer travel unaided to Switzerland for an assisted death but doesn’t want her loved ones to be punished for helping her.
	Nikki Davey and Helena Killip	Nikki Davey and Helena Killip are the family of Alan Davey, who suffered from Motor Neurone Disease and wanted to go to Switzerland for an assisted death. Unfortunately, he was not well enough to be able to go and had left it too late. Nikki said if Alan could have avoided the last four painful months he experienced, he most definitely would have chosen to.
	Sophie Korevaar	Sophie is 40 years old and has Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn’s disease. She wants to have an assisted death to avoid unnecessary pain should her condition become unbearable. Sophie is starting a Dignitas fund as she is so scared of what the future holds.
	Sue Lawford	Sue Lawford was arrested at 5.30 am, put in a cell and held for 19 hours, and then subjected to a six-month police investigation, for escorting Sharon Johnston to receive an assisted death in Switzerland.
	Vivien Mainwaring	Vivien suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe, as well as an incurable Leukaemia. She is now on a pathway to a Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis. She watched her parents die horrible, painful deaths and doesn’t want the same. She now struggles with her speech and wants the choice of an assisted death when her suffering becomes too much.
	Lauren, Beth and Jane Nicklinson	Lauren, Beth and Jane Nicklinson are the family of Tony Nicklinson, a man with Locked-in syndrome who took his case to the high court for the right to die. Tony lost his case and died after refusing food and treatment.
	Clare Powell	Clare’s parents both died horrendous deaths while suffering from dementia. Before his diagnosis, her dad said, “If I ever get like ‘that’ I’ve got chemicals, and I’ll be off.” Instead, he was “kept alive against his will” and died in a nursing home in 2023.
	Craig Scott	Craig’s father, Ivan died from end-stage heart failure in 2017. He wanted an assisted death but was refused help in the UK. He died slowly and in pain. One of Ivan’s sons had to leave the room because of his dad’s screams. Palliative care was not enough.
	George Smith	George’s mother, Maureen, took her own life because she found her life intolerable due to the pain caused by Trigeminal Neuralgia and Multiple Sclerosis. She was robbed of dignity and compassion as she died alone.
	Dave Sowry	Dave’s wife, Christy, suffered from Multiple Sclerosis and made the decision to travel to Switzerland for an assisted death in 2022. Dave reported her death after he returned to the UK where he was investigated for several months before the case was closed.
	Laura Tomlinson	Laura’s mother, Kay, died in Jan 2024 after a long battle with Parkinson’s and other health issues. Her mother took ten days to die after she stopped eating and drinking. She died a skeleton covered in bed sores. In the final weeks, she could not sit in her beloved garden or eat or drink.
	Penny Truscott	Penny’s mother, Joyce Wilton, 99, died at a care home after begging staff to “do something so she wouldn’t wake up in the morning”. The Second World War voluntary military nurse stopped taking her heart medication last summer to try to shorten her suffering. It took her 18 days to starve herself to death
	Kate and Sarah Tuckley	Sarah (wife) and Kate (sister) travelled with Dan to Switzerland in 2022 after a shock cancer diagnosis. The family were questioned by police on their return. Police have now closed the case.
	Clare Turner	In 2021, Clare was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. A single mother with two daughters in higher education, Clare wants to be around for her children and leave them money when she dies. She cannot, therefore, afford an assisted death in Switzerland and instead has the mental anguish of what her death will be like.
	Jane Vervoots	Jane’s husband Dirk died at home in 2023. He had Huntingdon’s disease and had made three suicide attempts before his death because he was ready for the suffering to end. Jane was treated like a criminal in the months after his death.
	Tim Wardle	Tim is in his 80s and has terminal kidney cancer. He watched both his parents and all his siblings suffer painful deaths (bar one sister), and he doesn’t want the same death as his family experienced.
	Gemma Williams	Gemma suffers from Multiple Sclerosis. Her grandparents and father-in-law had terrible, drawn-out deaths and would have preferred an assisted death. Gemma wants to ensure a law protects her in the future.

Private Member’s Bill on Assisted Dying: What You Need to Know

Recently, Kim Leadbeater MP announced that she will be introducing a Private Member’s Bill on assisted dying in the House of Commons. This is an important moment for people across the UK, particularly those suffering from incurable conditions, as it opens up the possibility of a new law allowing people more choice and control over how they end their lives.

But what exactly does this mean, and what happens next?

What is a Private Member’s Bill?

A Private Member’s Bill is a proposal for a new law brought forward by an individual Member of Parliament (MP), rather than the government. While most laws are proposed by the government, MPs who are drawn in a special ballot can introduce their own bills. They literally pick numbers out of a glass ball, you can watch the ballot here.

Kim Leadbeater MP came first in this year’s ballot. Coming first is important, it means that an MP is given time in the parliamentary calendar to change the law – the higher up on the list, the more time and the more chance of success.

The big announcement that came yesterday is that Kim Leadbeater chose to propose a bill on assisted dying. But the law hasn’t changed yet, and officially, the process hasn’t even started.

What is Assisted Dying?

Assisted dying means allowing a person who is suffering unbearably from an incurable illness to choose to end their life, with help from a doctor. Currently, assisted dying is illegal in England and Wales, meaning people who want the option to die on their own terms must contemplate attempting risky means or making a costly journey to Switzerland, often alone.

Many people with conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s Disease, or Locked-in Syndrome experience immense suffering for years. While previous attempts to change the law have focused on those with only six months or less to live, this new Bill could be a chance to help more people, including those suffering with incurable but non-terminal conditions.

Why is this Important?

This Bill could be the most significant chance in a decade to change the law on assisted dying in England and Wales. The Prime Minister has already promised a fair debate and a clear vote on the issue, so there is hope that progress can be made.

However, one concern is that any new law might only apply to people who are already terminally ill, possibly limited to those with six months or fewer to live. My Death, My Decision believes that this would exclude many people who are suffering severely from non-terminal conditions. We want to make sure that everyone who experiences intolerable suffering, regardless of how close they might be to the end of life, has the right to choose when and how they die.

What Happens Next?

There’s been a lot of confusion about this, but in brief – the first step hasn’t happened yet.

On 16th October, the short title and long title of the Bill will be read out in Parliament. There won’t be a debate on that day – literally, just the title will be read.

Now if Kim decides to choose a short title and long title that includes the words “terminally ill” – that will make it really hard, maybe impossible, to include people who aren’t dying, but are suffering unbearably, in the Bill. Assisted dying is a complex issue, and we believe it deserves a broad debate, looking at systems that exist in many countries.

After this, the next steps will involve debates in Parliament where MPs will discuss the details of the Bill. If enough MPs support it, the Bill will move through several stages, including detailed examination and possible changes, before it can become law. 

We don’t know the dates of these stages yet – but because Kim Leadbeater came first, it’s likely the first debate will come before the end of the year.

My Death, My Decision will continue to push for an assisted dying law that gives people the right to die with dignity, at a time of their choosing, and with proper safeguards in place. We encourage anyone who cares about this issue to contact their MP and make their voice heard.

This is a moment for compassion, choice, and dignity. Let’s hope Parliament seizes this opportunity to bring real change.

Trevor Moore, Chair of My Death My Decision, said:

“The introduction of an assisted dying Bill in the House of Commons is a significant and long-awaited step, made even more promising by the Prime Minister’s firm commitment to ensure a full, open debate and decisive vote. The nation stands on the brink of a profound and compassionate shift in how we provide dignity of choice for people who are intolerably suffering.

However, proposals presented to Parliament previously have limited the choice of help to die to those who are terminally ill, with fewer than six months to live. A Bill drawn on that basis would not only constrain proper debate from the outset, but any law would then exclude help to those who are suffering unbearably from incurable conditions like Multiple Sclerosis and Huntington’s Disease, among others. At My Death, My Decision we therefore urge politicians to ensure that people in those circumstances be considered too, so that they have the right to receive help to end their suffering at a time of their choosing.”

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.