Our NHS is in crisis. Barely a day goes by without headlines warning of chronic pressure on services, with every community in the UK impacted in serious ways. People are waiting too long for support. Medical staff feel physically and mentally drained. And it doesn’t seem like relief is in sight. In fact, societal trends mean that pressure on the NHS is only going to grow.
It is into this context that politicians are being asked to introduce assisted suicide. The dangers of such a step are obvious, and chilling. How could people make a genuine ‘choice’ on something like ending their life if they are not able to access the care they need, such as high-quality palliative care? If assisted suicide is made legal, a significant number of people may choose to die because they lack support – or because they fear that they won’t get support.
Doctors also warn of other, harmful impacts. Introducing the option of suicide into medical settings would forever change the relationship between doctors and patients. Trust would be eroded. And more vulnerable patients may be open to the power of suggestion: ‘My doctor told me about this, so maybe it is best.’ ‘Maybe this will release money for others to get care’.
The number of palliative care doctors who oppose assisted suicide is striking. Almost 9 in 10 say the practice would have a negative or very negative impact on palliative care services. And four in ten say they would leave their organisation if the law was changed. Hospices could lose hundreds of invaluable staff members. Some may be forced to close their doors.
We believe that protecting the NHS means keeping assisted suicide off the statute book. If you agree, please write to your political representatives and ask them to oppose a change in the law. You can do this easily and quickly using the information below. Visit Write To Them to find out who to write to. We have also provided a draft email for you to make use of if you wish.
We hope we can count on your support. Together we can Stop Assisted Suicide.
Take action!
Write to politicians
It’s important that opponents of assisted suicide make our voices heard by writing to politicians, including MPs, Peers, and Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Would you consider doing this? Here are some tips for contacting politicians about this important issue.
1. Find out who your representatives are
You can find out who your representatives are by visitingWrite To Them.
2. Contact the right people about the right Bills
Everyone in the UK has an MP, who you can write to about the Commons Bill from Kim Leadbeater MP. You can also write to a Peer if you wish – instructions on doing that here. There’s an option to search by topic or ‘get a random Lord’.
If you live in Scotland, you have a constituency MSP and seven regional MSPs. The Write To Them site will identify who these people are, enable you to draft an email to you constituency MSP, and offer an option to ‘write to all your regional MSPs’ at the same time.
Make sure you focus on Liam McArthur’s assisted suicide Bill if you are writing to MSPs.
3. Make your points well
When emailing your representatives, make sure you mention that you are a constituent. You should try to make you email brief and raise a few key arguments against a change in the law. If you have relevant expertise – for example as a doctor, carer or lawyer – it’s worth mentioning this. Lived experience is also powerful. Are you concerned that this law would impact you personally? What experiences in your life make you opposed to the Bill?
4. Speak up on social media
If you’ve gone to the trouble of emailing a politician about assisted suicide, why not share your views on social media too? By speaking out, we can stand in solidarity with those who would be most endangered by a change in the law and help change the narrative on this issue.
Template email
You can use this draft email for inspiration if you wish. Please edit the text to make it your own and include personal experiences you or loved ones have had if you can. Stories of this kind are compelling and help politicians appreciate the strength of constituents’ concerns.
Dear (YOUR POLITICIAN’S NAME HERE),
As a constituent, I am writing to you to ask you to vote against the assisted suicide bill.
Our NHS is in crisis. Barely a day goes by without headlines warning of chronic pressure on services, with every community in the UK impacted in serious ways. People are waiting too long for support. Medical staff feel physically and mentally drained. And it doesn’t seem like relief is in sight. In fact, societal trends mean that pressure on the NHS is only going to grow.
The dangers of introducing an assisted suicide law into this context are clear, and chilling. How could people make a genuine ‘choice’ on something like ending their life if they are not able to access the care they need, such as high-quality palliative care? If assisted suicide is legal, a significant number of people may choose to die because they lack support – or because they fear that they won’t get support. I don’t think this is something we should open the door to.
There are other concerns as well. Introducing the option of suicide into the medical context would forever change the relationship between doctors and patients. Trust would be eroded. And more vulnerable patients may be open to the power of suggestion: ‘My doctor told me about this, so maybe it is best.’ ‘Maybe this will release money for others to get care’.
The number of palliative care doctors who oppose the assisted suicide bill is striking. Almost 9 in 10 say the practice would have a negative or very negative impact on palliative care services. And 4 in 10 say they would leave their organisation if the law was changed. Hospices could lose hundreds of invaluable staff members. Some may be forced to close their doors.
I believe that protecting the NHS means keeping assisted suicide off the statute book. Please vote against the legislation before parliament when it comes to be debated.
Yours sincerely,
YOUR NAME HERE – INCLUDE YOUR ADDRESS AND POST CODE