Assisted dying is the hot topic of the moment, with MPs due to vote on MP Kim Leadbeater’s Private Member’s Bill on Friday.
Earlier this week our columnist Kevin McKenna described aspects of the bill as “chilling”.
Today one of our readers, a former GP, gives his view.
John NE Rankin of Bridge of Allan writes:
"I have no problem whatsoever if someone decides that they need a religion to complement their existence in this planet. They have an unequivocal right to do so. It is entirely a personal decision. Kevin McKenna has made this decision.
However, I also have an unequivocal right to make a personal decision, should I ever decide that this life is unbearable (for whatever reason) and I wish to terminate my existence.
In my career as a GP, I only had one patient who made use of the facility provided by Dignitas in Switzerland. We have a wonderful hospice in Forth Valley, but even they were unable to help this relatively young woman with her loss of dignity. She did indeed have less than six months to live, but she was unable to leave her house because of the smell of her skin secondaries, despite district nurses visiting four times daily. Pain had nothing to do with her decision.
Interestingly, as she had no family and very few friends, she took as her companion and support, her Church of Scotland minister (who was also a patient). The experience fundamentally changed his attitude to assisted dying.
I sincerely hope the bills in Westminster and Holyrood pass, but I am afraid that we are not yet mature enough to make this decision."
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