Month: May 2015

[UK] ‘Dignitas death sparks renewed controversy over assisted suicide law’ 26^th May 2015, The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/11629012/Dignitas-death-sparks-renewed-controversy-over-assisted-suicide-law.html ‘Jeffrey Spector, who took his own life at the notorious Swiss clinic despite not being terminally ill, admitted: “I am jumping the gun”’

 [UK] The Metro have opened an online opinion poll on whether assisted suicide should be legalised in response: http://metro.co.uk/2015/05/26/poll-should-assisted-suicide-be-legal-in-britain-5215313/#ixzz3bGVSBJw9

[UK] ‘Man who killed himself at Dignitas explains decision in film’ 26^th May 2015, The Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/26/jeffrey-spector-assisted-dying-dignitas-tumour-paralysis-explains-decision ‘Businessman Jeffrey Spector, who was diagnosed with inoperable tumour on his spine that would have led to paralysis, used film to discuss assisted dying.’

[UK] ‘’No one knows what the people who use Dignitas are going through, but they are the lucky ones’ 26^th May 2015, The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/11629055/Noone-knows-what-the-people-who-use-Dignitas-are-going-through-but-they-are-the-lucky-ones.html ‘Campaigner Jane Nicklinson, whose husband Tony passed away in 2012 after a lost seven-year High Court battle, on their struggle to find dignity in death’

 There has also been coverage in relation to the MSP vote on the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill, due to be debate on Wednesday, May 27^th:

 [Scotland] ‘Petition opposes assisted suicide’ May 21^st 2015, The Extra

http://www.glasgowsouthandeastwoodextra.co.uk/news/scottish-headlines/petition-opposes-assisted-suicide-1-3779614

‘Campaigners opposed to allowing assisted suicide in Scotland have delivered a 15,300-signature petition to Holyrood ahead of the vote on the legislation next week.’

 [Scotland] ‘Survey finds support for proposals to legalise assisted suicide’ May 24^th 2015, STV

http://news.stv.tv/scotland-decides/news/1321433-survey-finds-support-for-proposals-to-legalise-assisted-suicide/

‘Almost three-quarters of adults support proposals to legalise assisted suicide in principle, according to a new poll published ahead of a vote on legislation next week. MSPs will debate and vote on the general principles of the Assisted Suicide Bill when it comes before Holyrood on Wednesday.’

 [Scotland] ‘Assisted suicide bill in doubt’ May 24^th 2015, The Times

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/scotland/article1560253.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2015_05_23

‘With Holyrood to debate the issue on Wednesday, a new poll suggests that support for the law change is ebbing away, writes Jason Allardyce’

[Scotland] ‘Muslim leaders intervene in assisted suicide debate and urge MSPs to block Bill at Holyrood vote’ May 26^th 2015, The Herald

http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/scottish-politics/muslim-leaders-intervene-in-assisted-suicide-debate-and-urge-msps-to-bloc.127073820 The spiritual leaders of Scotland’s Muslim community have called for politicians to vote against a controversial law that would legalise assisted suicide.

 

Living and Dying Well Media Bulletin, 21^st May 2015

The Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman released its report ‘Dying without Dignity’ yesterday morning. It reported that ‘End of life care could be improved for up to 355,000 people a year in England’.

The report can be accessed at: http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/reports-and-consultations/reports/health/dying-without-dignity

The press release can be found at: http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/news-centre/press-releases/2015/too-many-people-dying-without-dignity,-ombudsman-service-report-finds

In response, Baroness Finlay was interviewed by Sky News, Radio 5 live and LBC News.

She notes that: ‘Everyone at the end of life needs access to comprehensive, seven day a week expert care to ensure that what they experience, and what lives on in the memories of those left behind, is the good death that we aim to make possible for everyone.’

Agnes Fletcher, Director of Living and Dying Well, has submitted a letter to The Telegraph (publication forthcoming), in which she writes: ‘clinical expertise exists and, despite these tragic cases, is experienced by many. The challenge is to ensure that good quality end of life care services are available around the clock and regardless of age, where we live, our level of education and type of illness. Free social care at the end of life, as recommended in March by the Health Select Committee, would keep many more people in their own homes and out of hospital – better for those of us who would prefer to die at home and better for our overstretched hospitals.’

The story was picked up by (amongst others):

·         The Telegraph – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11616968/Too-many-are-dying-without-dignity-health-ombudsman-warns.html

·         The Guardian – http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/20/too-many-die-without-dignity-report-end-of-life-care-nhs

·         The Times – http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/leaders/article4446484.ece

·         ITV News http://www.itv.com/news/2015-05-20/too-many-patients-are-dying-without-dignity/

·         Sky News – http://news.sky.com/story/1487209/too-many-people-are-dying-without-dignity

·         BBC News –http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32797768

The Independent (May 20^th 2015) report that: “Many elderly people approach the end of their lives with a degree of acceptance. They do not fear death but they do fear dying. This report shows why. It is what leads to debate over assisted suicide, travelling to Dignitas in Switzerland and the rights and wrongs of giving death a helping hand. Yet with good palliative care, a good death is not just possible – it should be routine.” http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/many-have-a-fear-of-dying–this-report-shows-why-10262052.html

Similar stories have also arisen in response to the Dying Matters Awareness Week that is currently taking place:

[UK] ‘While medicine gets better, dying gets worse: Doctors are so good at saving lives that we forget about death’ May 18^th 2015, The Independent

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/while-medicine-gets-better-dying-gets-worse-doctors-are-so-good-at-saving-lives-that-we-forget-about-death-10257927.html

“Junior doctors still leave medical school – as I did – ill-equipped to care for the dying”

[UK] ‘Medics must realise that death is an inevitable part of life, not a failure’ May 18^th 2015, The Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2015/may/18/death-inevitable-part-of-life-not-failure

“Over the course of next parliament, approximately 3 million people in the UK can be expected to die, half of whom are likely to die in hospital – which for many people is the last place they would like to die.”

In other news:

[Scotland] ‘MSPs to vote on assisted suicide next week’ May 20^th 2015, The Scotsman

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/msps-to-vote-on-assisted-suicide-next-week-1-3778137

“Campaigners against assisted suicide are to hand in a 15,000 strong petition at Parliament opposing the plans with MSPs poised to vote on the measure next Wednesday.”

[The Netherlands] ‘Dutch court: Euthanasia no longer requires a doctor’s order’ May 18^th 2015, World Magazine

http://www.worldmag.com/2015/05/dutch_court_euthanasia_no_longer_requires_a_doctor_s_order

“A Dutch appeals court has cleared a man charged with assisting his 99-year-old mother to commit suicide in a case that could expand the country’s euthanasia laws.”

[USA] ‘Calif. Medical Association drops opposition to assisted death’ May 19^th 2015, The News Tribune

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/05/19/3800032/calif-medical-association-drops.html

“SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — The California Medical Association has become the first state medical association in the nation to drop opposition to what has long been known as “physician-assisted suicide,” it said, acknowledging a shift in doctor and patient attitudes about end-of-life and aid-in-dying options.”

[India] ‘Clarity from SC, dialogue on euthanasia need of the hour’ may 19^th 2015, The Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Clarity-from-SC-dialogue-on-euthanasia-need-of-the-hour/articleshow/47335724.cms

“The death of Aruna Shanbagh has brought into focus the urgent need for clarity from the Supreme Court on the issue of withholding or withdrawing futile medical treatment. While passing a judgement related to Aruna Shanbagh, the Supreme Court seems to have created some confusion by referring to “passive euthanasia” Dr Nagesh Simha, President of the Indian Association of Palliative Care tells Rema Nagarajan how it is ethical to withhold or withdraw futile medical intervention and the urgent need for clarity in the law.”

 

 

Living and Dying Well Media Bulletin, 12 May 2015

[UK] ‘Falconer returns to front bench’, The Law Society Gazette, 11 May 2015

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/falconer-returns-to-front-bench/5048765.article

“Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the former lord chancellor who oversaw the creation of the Ministry of Justice under Tony Blair, is to replace Sadiq Khan as shadow justice secretary, Labour acting leader Harriet Harman revealed today.”

 [New Zealand] ‘SA right-to-die case may help NZ woman’ Independent Online News, 10 May 2015

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/sa-right-to-die-case-may-help-nz-woman-1.1856334#.VVIokY5VhHw

“On Saturday New Zealand-born Professor Sean Davison, who founded the organisation Dignity SA, which backed the local assisted suicide case and which now backs the New Zealand case, told Weekend Argus it was apparent the South African ruling was having an international impact.”

 [Scotland] ‘MSPs set to reject flawed assisted suicide proposal’, Scotland Catholic Observer, 8 May 8 2015

http://www.sconews.co.uk/latest-edition/44960/msps-set-to-reject-flawed-assisted-suicide-proposal/

“The Scottish Parliament appears poised to reject the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill after the Holyrood committee reviewing the controversial legislation said that it contained ‘significant flaws.’”

 

[South Africa] ‘Justice Dept concerned as assisted suicide applications increase’, Eyewitness News, 8 May 2015

http://ewn.co.za/2015/05/08/Justice-Dept-concerned-as-assisted-suicide-applications-increase

“Last week, the High Court in Pretoria granted terminal cancer patient Robin Stransham-Ford his request for an assisted death. While the department plans to appeal this ruling, it says the case has now opened the doors for many others.”

 [Australia] ‘Vic end of life inquiry set up’ The Daily Mail, 7 May 2015

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-3071423/Vic-voluntary-euthanasia-inquiry-set-up.html

“Victoria’s parliament has voted to launch an inquiry into end of life issues and palliative care.

The upper house decided on the action on Thursday after an original bid to hand the task to the Victorian Law Reform Commission failed to get up.”

 

In order to keep our supporters in touch with our activities Sian Vasey, a Not Dead Yet UK supporter has launched a new video blog which we hope will become a regular part of our campaign to resist changes to the assisted dying law.

You can watch the video by clicking on this link Not Dead Yet UK Video Blog May 2015

Here is the text of the Blog

Hello, my name is Sian Vasey and this is a news blog from Not Dead Yet UK. Not dead yet is the network of disabled people opposed to the legalisation of assisted dying.

We work with other groups to make the opposition case against change in the law. Last year, we led on disabled peoples’ participation in demonstrations held outside the House of Lords during the debate on Lord Falconer’s Bill. We also put people forward for a vast amount of media coverage because we want disabled people to be very visible in the debate.

This news blog aims to keep people connected during the gaps between these busy times. We’ll keep you updated on what other groups such as Care Not Killing and Dying and Living Well are doing and also what’s happening in other countries where assisted dying or, as we believe it should be called, assisted suicide, has actually been made legal.

We want to keep you informed and we need your ideas and your stories. Why are you opposed to assisted dying? We need to know you’re out there and we want you to be part of what we’re doing, so please contact us through the Not Dead yet website or on Facebook via Liz Carr’s Facebook page.

We’ll get the next block to you very soon, so do keep a lookout.

By for now.