Assisted Suicide
Junior Doctors urge MSPs to reject assisted suicide
We believe that modern palliative medicine in conjunction with healthy trusting relationships are sufficient to bring dignity in dying.
A group of junior doctors have written to MSPs, urging them to vote against legalising assisted suicide in Scotland.
The doctors have said they will refuse to participate if the law in Scotland changes and assisted suicide is permitted.
Liam McArthur MSP is planning on bringing forward an assisted suicide bill and last year held a public consultation on the proposals.
Christopher Marshall, a 24-year-old palliative care worker at Borders General Hospital and Ed Tulloch, a 30-year-old trainee GP in Fife co-authored the letter, which was signed by more than 30 other doctors.
They said:
"As junior doctors in Scotland, we oppose any form of legislation which seeks to promote assisted suicide and will not participate if it becomes legal.” “Legalising assisted suicide will undoubtedly place untold pressure on people who are vulnerable, disabled, or elderly to end their lives prematurely. Some may even feel it is their ‘duty to die’. These are people we have gone to great lengths to protect and support during the pandemic.”
Rather than legalising assisted suicide, the focus of MSPs should be on improving access to palliative care, with the doctors saying: “we believe that modern palliative medicine in conjunction with healthy trusting relationships are sufficient to bring dignity in dying.”
Welcoming the intervention, Dr Gillian Wright, of the Our Duty of Care (ODOC) group said:
“Junior doctors across Scotland are concerned about the future of care for frail elderly, disabled and confused patients in our country. "They want to send the message that these patients' lives are valuable, their rights should be protected and there should not be pressure on anyone, from anyone, including indirectly by the state, to take their own lives."
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