Royal College of Psychiatrists withdraws support for Assisted Dying Bill

The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has formally withdrawn its support for the Assisted Dying Bill currently under consideration in England and Wales, citing serious concerns about its potential impact on vulnerable patients and the role of psychiatric professionals.

Having previously adopted a neutral stance on assisted suicide, the College now says it cannot support the Bill in its current form and has outlined nine key reasons for its opposition.

This shift is particularly significant, as the proposed legislation would require a panel—including a psychiatrist—to oversee assisted suicide cases.

Dr Lade Smith, President of the RCPsych, stated that the College had raised a number of concerns with parliamentarians, none of which have been adequately addressed:

"It’s integral to a psychiatrist’s role to consider how people’s unmet needs affect their desire to live. The Bill, as proposed, does not honour this role, or require other clinicians involved in the process to consider whether someone’s decision to die might change with better support.

"We are urging MPs to look again at our concerns for this once-in-a-generation Bill and prevent inadequate assisted dying/assisted suicide proposals from becoming law", she said.

One of the college’s central concerns is the established link between terminal illness and suicidal ideation.

Dr Annabel Price, who leads the college’s work on the Bill, explained:

“The College has spent decades working to prevent suicide. A key part of our response to this Bill has been to highlight that people with terminal physical illnesses are at increased risk of depression.

“Unmet needs can make life feel unbearable. But when these needs are addressed or symptoms treated, the desire to end life early often subsides.

“The Bill fails to clarify whether assisted dying is to be treated as a clinical intervention—an ambiguity with serious legal and ethical implications.”

The College also raised concerns about the UK-wide shortage of consultant psychiatrists, warning that the effective implementation of the Bill would be difficult under current workforce constraints.

Dr Smith also criticised the limited role envisioned for psychiatrists, warning that their involvement risks becoming a “tick-box exercise” rather than a meaningful clinical assessment.

The Bill is expected to face intense scrutiny as the debate resumes in Parliament on Friday. As MPs consider the specifics of this legislation, many will be asking whether the College's concerns will be adequately addressed.