Hospice community interrogates Liam McArthur on assisted dying bill

Hospice UK remains neutral on whether or not the law on assisted dying should change. The charity, which represents the UK’s 200+ charitable hospices, including 14 hospice members in Scotland, arranged the session in order for staff and volunteers working in hospice care to raise their questions and concerns about the Bill.

Chaired by journalist and broadcaster Pennie Taylor, the session saw Mr McArthur set out what he sees to be the case for assisted dying before a number of questions were put to him.

Concerns raised included the importance of making good quality palliative and end of life care available to everyone who needs it, and the associated need for reform of how hospice and palliative care is funded in Scotland and across the UK.

Colleagues also asked important questions as to what role hospices may or may not play in assisted dying should it be legalised and the pressures and expectations on clinicians should the Bill pass. Concerns were voiced as to whether both the wider medical community and the public at large had enough understanding of the full range of palliative and end of life care options.

McArthur thanked delegates for the constructive and rigorous challenge from the hospice sector that he had received to date, including specific questions and concerns raised about the provisions proposed in the Bill.

Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK said: “We were glad to welcome Liam McArthur’s to our conference in Glasgow, for a discussion with representatives of the Scottish and UK hospice sector on his proposed Bill. 

“Hospice UK is neutral on whether or not the law should change in any of the UK nations and crown territories, and will remain so.

“This was a valuable opportunity for colleagues from across hospice care to put their questions and concerns to a politician who is proposing a Bill that, if passed, would be both a profound change and one of obvious direct relevance to the hospice sector.

“Although assisted dying is a divisive and emotive topic, we have been encouraged by the strong conviction and statements from all sides of this debate that good quality palliative and end of life care should be available to all who need it, and that funding for hospices needs to be sorted as part of this.”

Pennie Taylor added: “Politicians advocating for a change as significant as this should be held to account by experts. I was pleased to have the opportunity to put very significant, complex and challenging questions to Liam McArthur on his Bill.

“In Scotland and at Westminster, Parliament will decide on this most complicated of issues. I hope that elected representatives of all views will continue to engage with the hospice sector so that its expertise and experience can be heard.”