As an Assisted Dying Bill has been presented to the House of Lords, to be debated on 18th July 2014, new research finds that the majority of GPs either would like the choice of assisted dying to be made available to them, or were unsure and did not rule it out. The poll of 878 GPs in England and Wales found 40% would want the choice of an assisted death if they were terminally ill, 25% were unsure, and 32% would not personally want the choice.[1]
The poll also found that the majority (61%) of GPs across England and Wales felt that the representative medical bodies, such as the British Medical Association and the Royal College of GPs should be neutral on the issue. Currently both of these medical bodies, and many others, hold a position of opposition to a change in the law.
Retired GP and member of Healthcare Professionals for Assisted Dying Dr Philip Hartropp said:
"This polling shows that, while GPs are divided on the issue of assisted dying, many would like the choice to be available. We also know that around one percent of GPs' patients are nearing the end of their lives.[2] As a GP, I would certainly have liked to have known that when a competent dying patient, suffering at the end of their life, asked me for help to die, that within safeguards I could have provided that patient with the support and necessary medication so that they could have what they considered to be a good death, at home and surrounded by their loved ones.
Sarah Wootton, Chief Executive if Dignity in Dying said:
"This polling shows that GPs aren't as far behind public opinion as opponents to assisted dying would have us believe. 74% of the general public support the change in the law put forward by Lord Falconer, and the majority (65%) of GPs would either want that choice to be available for themselves, or are currently unsure.
"Without a change in the law terminally ill patients will continue to take decisions without adequate safeguards, whether by travelling to Switzerland to die, ending their lives themselves, or being illegally helped to die by doctors. This law will not result in more people dying, but it will result in fewer people suffering."