Margo MacDonald: Allow right-to-die patients a ‘friend at the end’ to help suicide
Margo MacDonald has backed a parliamentary debate. Picture: Neil Hanna
FRIENDS of critically-ill Scots could be offered training to help patients take their own lives under a controversial proposal to legalise assisted suicide.
Independent MSP Margo MacDonald wants to introduce a “friend at the end” assisted dying scheme that would allow government “licensed facilitators” as well as medics to help seriously ill people take their own lives.
Ms MacDonald announced the proposal at Holyrood yesterday in a fresh attempt to give terminally ill people in Scotland the right to choose when to die, after a previous End of Life Assistance Bill was blocked by MSPs in a free vote at Holyrood.
But Ms MacDonald, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, has now revealed key changes to the proposed shake-up in Scotland’s suicide laws, which would see Scottish government ministers licensing individuals to collect medicine for sick friends and to stay with the patient until they had used the drugs prescribed by a GP to end their life.
Although those signing up to the scheme would be forbidden from administering the medicine, such as by injecting a patient, Ms MacDonald’s would allow them to help someone wanting to take their own life in “any way necessary to enable the person take the medication correctly.”
The helper’s role would also involve reporting the death to the police, but could mean that the suicide would have to be filmed to prove that it had been carried out by the patient themselves.
Voluntary groups would be able to sign up to help run the scheme, with John Bishop, executive secretary of the Humanist Society Scotland saying that his organisation “may be able to play a role” in helping with assisted suicide and that some of its members may be “suitable” to run the scheme.
Ms MacDonald said allowing licensed friends of patients to assist suicides would “reassure people who felt at risk or vulnerable” under the original proposals to just allow doctors and nurses in the process.
The MSP, when asked during the launch of the bill’s consultation yesterday, admitted the scheme would work on a similar basis to organ donor pre-consent schemes, with people able to opt in at “any point”.
Under her proposals, patients would have to make two formal requests for permission to carry out assisted suicide, which would have to be approved by medical professions.
But the Lothians MSP said the patient would have to take their life within the following 28 days to ensure they were “still of the mind” about their decision.
Ms MacDonald also pointed to a proposal in England to allow patients with less than a year left to live to ask their doctor for a dose of medication that would end their life. She said it showed that the law both north and south of the Border was “travelling down the same road”.
Ms MacDonald said: “At the moment, we are penalising a small group of people who have to experience a less than peaceful death, who are sometimes forced to go abroad to die.
“The main difference with the bill last time is that this time we’re asking does it have to be a doctor or nurse? It could be a person who’s trained to be a friend to the end.
“Not all GPs will want to take part, as it’s a matter of autonomy and conscience.”
However, the proposals were attacked as “peculiar” by senior Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone, who was “disappointed” the bill had returned to Holyrood so soon after being voted down in the last parliament.
The Scottish Government repeated its opposition to a change in the law, as it insisted that the “deliberate taking of life remains illegal”.
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Comments
There are 25 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Chris63
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 04:23 PMI've heard of people, where the medical profession kept trying various ways of keeping them alive [operations ,drugs etc], but in effect they had died already , but the medical profession is aimed to keep the physical body alive. Everyone should have the right to pass over when their time is right [no matter of agerace or religion]. There is far to much spend on medical innovations to keep people alive, just to show it can be done.
Rev James
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 04:24 AMI'm sorry, but as a priest (Orthodox Christian) I feel an obligation to chime in, here. Suicide does not require assistance. All you need to do is put a gun to your head, jump off a bridge or drive your car into a wall. If you want to get out of life enough, you can. People don't do it, not because they feel any great need to be murdered with dignity, but because God, with the gift of life, also gave us an intrinsic will to preserve it. God also gave us an intrinsic love of family, which the forces of barbarity have been attempting to abrogate. This pleasant, grandmotherly-looking lady is proposing a nation of monsters.
duelaynomore
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 03:54 AMI'd like to repeat what has already been said: .....................Margo is right and we should allow the frail and elderly to die with dignity. We as a nation TREAT OUR ELDERY DISGRACEFULLY, we expect them to live on a meagre pension well below what we pay illegal immigrants and those living on benefits. We deny them free care when they are ill, rob them of whatever savings they may have and then force them to sell their homes to pay for third rate care. Whilst they are in hospital they are neglected and ignored by our so called caring nurses. If we can't fund a decent pension, if we can't fund proper health care, if we want to neglect and ignore our elderly, why don't we just allow to die with some dignity. Rather than rob of their homes and savings why don't we just assist them in moving on. If we are not interested in looking after them why deny them the right to say, enough is enough...................................I for one would rather pass away at a time of my own choosing and allow any surplus wealth to carry forward to those who can use it, rather than consume the last penny in maintaining a miserable existence, and leave nothing but funeral costs behind, for my wife and kids.
decko
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 12:13 AMTake it from me, who is someone who has had a second chance at life, those who wish to throw away what ever quality of life that they have are very foolish. I have no right to die at any time as even if, as a person of limited ability and mobility I still give comfort and advice to my love ones. who am i to turn a smile to them into a headstone.
Jools in Edinburgh
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 11:45 PM#19 Did you actually read the article. The legislation isn't aimed at old people. It's aimed at those who have a terminal illnessdisease.
Danielrober2
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 03:46 PMMany have the right to have beliefs different form the mainstream culture, they have a right o have their opinion but they do not have the right to scare old people. Been old is a state of grace, not a burden to society. This more than almost anything separates out the Nationalists from literally the majority of world cultures where been old is to be a respected and listened to members of a community. Been old is not a disease, but a repected space in life. Let the old live in peace.
Danielrober2
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 03:36 PMBEEN OLD IS NOT A DISEASE, people have the right to live, not be asked to save the government money by dying early. LIFE IS A GIFT.
scottyt10@comcast.net
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 03:13 PM#7 is utterly and totally correct; we should have as much right to die as we have to live. I believe we should be able to decide how we go most especially when critically ill and suffering.
HIDDEN 1
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 02:50 PMI am certain that I previously posted on this Moderator. I note no indication that I have done so, even if removed by you. This is a DISGRACEFUL piece of legislation which should not been entertained by the Parliament. REDACTED AND RESERVED COMMENTS. Put bluntly, if you behave like this, you are NOT entitled to the treatments for Parkinsons disease, Aids, Cancer, or any one of a huge list which you currently do not know how to cure. Miracles will NOT be provided to those who do not at least TRY to find cures. This legislation is legalised MURDER and is is an AFFRONT. You clearly have no idea how INSULTING and DISGUSTING this proposed legislation is.Civilised? Not if this draft legislation continues!
Derryboy
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 01:40 PMI fully support this bill, and would be delighted to help the seperatists end their miserable lives.
ColinBattle
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 12:26 PMBJD may be correct in saying that not all humanists support assisted dying, but many do; it is equally true that many people with religious faith also support it . But it does seem to be taking the Big Society a bit far for any such organisation to take a leading role in this issue. I would prefer my death to be overseen by compassionate qualified medical professionals.
WOTTPI
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 12:19 PMIf you were terminally ill how and where would you like to die? In your own home in your own bed or chair, possibly with a view of your street or garden, surrounded by your friends and family? Or in a strange sterile place possibly not even in your town or even in your own country therefore limiting what friends and family can see you? Seen to by well meaning people but still strangers running in and out. Hospital and Hospices all do a fine job but what God or sane person would deny the former as many peoples chosen way to depart this earth?
TartanT
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 11:27 AMTwo key points here... "Quality of life" and "You cannot legislate morality".
Centurion2
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 11:16 AM"Voluntary groups would be able to sign up to help run the scheme, with John Bishop, executive secretary of the Humanist Society Scotland saying that his organisation “may be able to play a role” in helping with assisted suicide and that some of its members may be “suitable” to run the scheme. " The Humanist Society Scotland, with a reported membership of 6500, claims that it represents the views of 28% of Scots who, according to HSS, claimed, in the 2001 Census to have no relibion. This is a fictitious claim as the 28% figure was a combination of those who claimed to have no religion and those who did not respond to the question.
anel
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 10:15 AMI wholeheartedly welcome the introduction of a personal friend at the end. Two people in my life come to mind. One died slowly (over 10 months) and painfully from motor neurone disease. The other is very much still with us but will eventually deteriorate to a point where for him he believes he will want to end his life. For either of these friends it would be, have been, a privilege to perform the last act of love, to support their final decision to end their life. I hope this bill is finally passed. Of course there is a need for safeguards against abuse. But do not pretend it will introduce a new form of abuse as Shipman proved the abuse is present, Margo's bill will not introduce a new risk but it will need simple safeguards.
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