MPs who voted in favour of the assisted dying bill have raised concerns about parts of it and want to see changes before giving it final approval. Some are worried about the bill’s provisions to allow doctors to raise assisted dying as an option without the terminally ill patient having asked for it first.
The proposed law would give adults with less than six months to live the right to end their life with the help of a doctor. It passed its first stage in the House of Commons on Friday with a majority of 55. Those with concerns want to see them addressed as the bill goes through further scrutiny and rounds of voting over the coming months.
The bill allows medical practitioners “exercising their professional judgement to decide if, and when, it is appropriate to discuss the matter with a person”. But some MPs who voted in favour of the bill are concerned about the planned provisions. Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, said it must “be specifically stated in the bill that medical practitioners are not to raise assisted dying with any patient”. Roz Savage, the Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds, said assisted dying should be “patient-led, not doctor-led”.
Under the bill, the right to an assisted death will be granted to adults with less than six months to live, provided their request is approved by two doctors and a High Court judge. There will be more months of debate, during which MPs and peers could choose to amend parts of the bill. It will require the approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
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