Statement: Assisted Dying

As the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill goes through the officially parliamentary processes:

• At Wirral Hospice St John’s, we appreciate that our patients, families, staff, volunteers and supporters will have differing views on the emotive subject of assisted dying.
• We would like to assure our patients and their families that we make no judgment about those who support or request assisted dying, and this would not prevent them accessing our services and support, nor would it change the way we care for them.
• Assisted dying is not part of the care offered by Wirral Hospice. The ethos of palliative care is to maintain and improve the quality of life of all patients and families during any stage of life-limiting illness.
• We remain committed to our goal of providing high quality palliative care for local residents with the intention of everyone having a good death, knowing that their loved ones will be supported.
• We acknowledge the neutral position of the British Medical Association, and Royal College of Nursing on this topic and believe it is not our role to support or oppose changes to the law.
• However, we fully support the views of Hospice UK and believe that the focus of the public debate should be on the right of every individual to be well cared for up until the time of death, and to improve access to palliative and end of life care for everyone, no matter who they are, where they are or why they are ill.
• We would hope that no person should ever feel they have to make the choice to have an assisted death because of a real or imagined fear of not receiving the care and support they need.

Further information (click on the links below):

Hospice UK’s position on assisted dying

Royal College of Nursing’s position on assisted dying

British Medical Association’s position on assisted dying

NHS: euthanasia and assisted suicide

Page last updated: 05.12.2024