As a nurse who supports terminally ill patients to die in their own homes, Angelina Blair sees first hand the last few hours of people’s lives. She works for Rowcroft Hospice in Torquay, Devon, which supports 2,500 patients and their loved ones each year, most of whom choose to die in their own homes. The hospice is at the centre of the current debate over the assisted dying bill, which would allow terminally ill adults with six months or less to live the right to medically end their lives in England and Wales.
Many in support of assisted dying say it would give terminal patients autonomy about how they die. But many of those opposed to it argue that policymakers should instead focus on improving palliative care, and some worry that patients undergoing end-of-life care would feel pressured to have an assisted death. Hospices are not fully paid for by the government, and three quarters of Rowcroft’s income comes from charity.
The death rate in the UK is expected to increase over the next two decades, such that by 2040, about 130,000 more people in the UK are expected to die each year than in 2023. Jabez Petherick, who had incurable kidney cancer, said hospice care made a big difference to him, and he was able to manage his pain and have a better quality of life.
The staff at Rowcroft hospice are unsure about the proposals being debated, and they want to ensure that patients have access to the best possible end-of-life care. They believe that an informed choice is key, and that patients should be able to choose between assisted dying and palliative care. Hospice UK has welcomed a new clause in the bill which requires the government to consult with palliative and end-of-life providers, but its chief executive Toby Porter argues that there is still a lot to consider, including the role that hospices might be expected to play in assisted dying.
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