Category: Do Not Resuscitate

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Assisted dying assisted suicide Disability Do Not Resuscitate Meacher Bill

House of Lords Debate over

Baroness Meacher on her feet addressing the House of Lords

The end of a very long day and a long debate.

Although it is early days it would seem that the latest attempt to change the law on Assisted Suicide will not make it through all the processes needed for the Meacher Bill to become law. This is not a great surprise as senior figures in government have indicated that it will not be supported.

Before we start cracking open the champagne bottles it’s important to recognise that this is just another step in a very long journey. The Bill may have further to go and will return in a different form perhaps, so we will once again have to deploy all of our resources to resist it.

Your continued support over the coming months will be crucial.

Now is the moment to say thank you to all of you who have helped us to get our points across and by so doing ensure that the voices of disabled people are heard.

Finally here is a link to Baroness Jane Campbell’s article in today’s Guardian which summarises our concerns.

https://bit.ly/2ZhROnv

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Assisted dying assisted suicide Care Not Killing Disability Do Not Resuscitate Meacher Bil

Campaign Gathers Pace

First, a big “thank you” to all of you who managed to find a time to either send us messages of support or who put together one or two-minute videos explaining why you are so opposed to a change in the law on assisted suicide. These video messages are now being distributed to the House of Lords where we hope they will help persuade Peers not to progress the bill.

You can see all of the videos by clicking on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsHhEX9nXB1x3m840GiFFyg/videos

We have compiled a short film showing the written messages sent in by supporters please keep them coming. Write to us at info@notdeadyetuk.org

Here’s a link to the messages video. https://youtu.be/moLwo6FskLI

Our founder Baroness Campbell is preparing her speech for the debate to be held on the 22nd of October. As a precursor, she has written an article for the Parliament’s internal “newsletter” The House. You can read her article by clicking here.

https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/assist-disabled-people-to-choose-life-not-death

Finally, one of our supporters John Smith has put together a Mind Map that he used to collect his thoughts before he wrote his letter to the Peers. You might find it helpful

Categories
Assisted dying assisted suicide Disability Do Not Resuscitate Meacher Bil

A Message for DPOs

Protester holding placards saying Vote No to Assisted Suicide
No to Assisted Suicide

We are writing to seek your support in opposing the legalising of Assisted Suicide, which will soon be debated in both the UK and Scottish Parliaments. Although, over recent years, there have been several attempts to pass legislation to make Assisted Suicide legal in the UK, these have been overwhelmingly defeated. The UK Supreme Court also ruled against legalising assisted suicide.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a stark reminder of how disabled people are already denied life-saving support based on their impairments. How, then, can we even contemplate legalising Assisted Suicide at this point, when we are routinely denied the resources and support to assist us in living with dignity and respect?

How can you help? At the moment, we are simply asking that your organisation signs up to the statement below. Then please email us back confirming that your organisation is supportive of this. (info@notdeadyetuk.org)

“We add our support to the growing number of disabled people’s organisations, both nationally and internationally, who oppose Assisted Suicide.  At a time in the UK when disabled people are recovering from the effects of the pandemic and facing massive cuts to social care support services and benefits, we need support to live, not assistance to die.”

Finally, below are links to some articles about why many disabled people object to legalising Assisted Suicide and how Covid 19 has highlighted the fact that the lives of disabled people are increasingly deemed to be of less value within our society.

We’re told we are a burden. No wonder disabled people fear assisted suicide; https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/01/disabled-people-assisted-dying-safeguards-pressure

6 out of 10 people who have died from COVID-19 are disabled; https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/news/6-out-of-10-people-who-have-died-from-covid-19-are-disabled

Disabled people like me fear legal assisted suicide: it suggests that some lives are less worth living; https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2019/02/06/disabled-people-like-me-fear-legal-assisted-suicide-it-suggests-that-some-lives-are-less-worth-living/

Doctors Issuing Unlawful ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ Orders For Disabled Covid Patients ‘Outrageous’; https://www.forbes.com/sites/gusalexiou/2020/06/23/unlawful-do-not-resuscitate-orders-for-disabled-covid-patients-outrageous/?sh=66aea2f26cf1

 

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