03
Jul
Harrogate hospice CEO: More funding needed if assisted dying is made law
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A Harrogate hospice chief executive has called for more funding if assisted dying is legalised in England and Wales.
Tony Collins, who leads Saint Michael's Hospice, said patients would only be able to have a “true choice” to end their life if funding is increased for palliative care.
MPs narrowly voted to progress the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on June 20. The bill would allow terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to get medical assistance to end their own lives.
The bill passed through the House of Commons by 23 votes and will now be heard in the House of Lords.
Mr Collins said hospices across the country were already “chronically underfunded” and that more resources were needed for palliative care if assisted dying becomes law.
He said:
At the centre of all we do at Saint Michael’s is our commitment to putting people first, respecting their dignity, autonomy and the choices they make at the end of their life.
We understand that, if the law changes, some individuals with a terminal illness may choose assisted dying. Others will continue to choose high quality palliative care.
But choice only exists when both options are truly available to all people. Right now, that isn’t the case.
Already, 100,000 people across the country are not able to receive the hospice care they need to live with the complex challenges of terminal illness. This is set to rise by over 40% by 2040.
Mr Collins added that without an increase in statutory funding, Saint Michael's Hospice would struggle to meet demand.
He said the hospice would be unable to give a legal right to assisted dying without high quality palliative care.
He said:
We’re extremely grateful to our supporters whose support through events, donations and gifts in wills helps to provide 75% of the income our charity needs to provide our services.
But without more statutory funding in the future, this simply won’t be sustainable to meet increasing demand.
As Parliament considers legislation on assisted dying, the principle of freedom is frequently cited. But freedom of choice is only meaningful if people are equally free to access excellent end-of-life care. No one should feel pressured into ending their life because they lack adequate support.
Legalising assisted dying without ensuring universal access to high quality palliative care creates a dangerous imbalance. We have a moral duty to ensure that decisions about life and death are grounded in genuine preference not in fear, pain, or a sense of being a burden.
We cannot give the legal right to assisted dying without the equivalent right to high quality palliative care.
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