'Optimistic' Margo unveils right-to-die Holyrood Bill

Published on Wednesday 25 March 2009 09:14

INDEPENDENT Lothians MSP Margo MacDonald today revealed the details of her right-to-die Bill and the safeguards she wants to put in place.

She said she was "optimistic" about getting the backing of enough MSPs to allow the measure to be debated in the Scottish Parliament.

She said the proposed legislation would cover people for whom life had become "intolerable" through a progressive, degenerative condition, loss of function or terminal illness.

She said the request for assistance in dying could only be made by the person concerned and would have to be lodged with a registered medical practitioner.

Ms MacDonald suffers from Parkinson's disease and has said she wants the reassurance of knowing she can end her own life if she decides the condition has become intolerable.

Outlining the provisions of her proposed End of Life Choices (Scotland) Bill, she said: "The patient, having full capacity to make an end of life choice, will require to establish contact with a medical practitioner, ideally, when his or her condition is not intolerable.

"A specialist would be consulted for an opinion on whether the patient would benefit from treatment for depression.

"Medical personnel with religious, moral or other objections would not be obliged to assist. Patients would exercise autonomy over their choices.

"If patients decide that life is intolerable, and that they would prefer it to end at a time of their choosing, the medical practitioner would be required to seek the opinion of a specialist as to their patient's capacity at that point.

"The request for assistance to end lives with dignity and at a time of the patient's choosing would require to be repeated following specialist assessment and any prescribed treatment for depression or mental illness."

Ms MacDonald received 400 responses to the consultation on her proposed Member's Bill. She said the responses were divided more or less evenly.

Ms MacDonald needs the support of 18 MSPs to allow the Bill to be debated in parliament.

She said: "I've not made serious efforts yet but I'm optimistic."