Assisted Dying Bill: How Did Your North East MP Vote And What Is The Law?

The Assisted Dying Bill is currently in the committee stage at parliament and North East MPs are voicing their opinions on the bill.

Assisted dying is legal in many countries, with Switzerland being the first country to legalise it in 1942 and now it may be coming to the UK.

The bill would allow people aged 18 and older who are terminally ill but still have mental capacity and are in the final six months of their life to request assistance from a doctor to end their life.

Labour MP for Jarrow, Kate Osborne, said: “It is often the case that the legal prohibition on seeking assistance in these limited circumstances adds to the hurt and anguish for others the individual and their family.”

The patient must be a resident in either England or Wales to request this assistance and two doctors have to assess the request, at least seven days apart to ensure the person meets the eligibility criteria which includes the person having a clear and informed wish to end their own life and they have reached this decision voluntarily. If the doctors both conclude the criteria has been met, the person may apply to the High Court for approval.

If the High Court decided the person met the requirements of the proposed law, they would be given 14 days to reflect on the decision. If the illness will take the person’s life before that, then they are given a 48-hour reflection period. If the person still wishes to go through with the process, they’ll need to make a second request, and if the doctor continues to be satisfied that they meet the criteria set out in the bill, a life-ending “approved substance” would be prescribed to be self-administered.

There are many steps and professionals involved to ensure that the person is mentally capable of making the decision and understanding what they’re actually requesting.

Labour MP for South Shields, Emma Lewell-Buck, said: “I chose to vote against the Assisted Dying Bill because I was not satisfied that the Bill contained the necessary protections to prevent the law from being either misapplied or misused.”

Find out how your North East MP voted.