Caring for a mentally ill relative from a young age has made my views on assisted dying complicated.

It is a complex issue that is far from black and white and there is a reason why attempts to legislate on the issue have fallen so many times before.

I have personally always been in favour of terminally ill, mentally sound adults being given the right to choose how their lives end.

But over the years as the issue comes back into the forefront of UK politics, the intricacies and concerns with the proposals have become glaringly obvious.

The far-reaching implications and possibilities it opens up, and how that could impact people’s lives are important and I don’t envy the politicians who are mulling over whether Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will become law.

MPs will make the choice on whether to support the general principles of the Bill in Westminster today before the safeguards are scrutinised in more detail if it passes to the third stage.

The debate is not restricted to England and Wales, although this particular Bill only applies there. It has an impact on Scotland. Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur’s member’s Bill has been introduced in Holyrood and will be debated in the Scottish Parliament early next year.

The outcome of the Westminster Bill will no doubt influence our MSPs and the wider Scottish public.

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Assisted dying is law in countries across the world, from Canada, Spain, Austria and parts of the US, but the provision of it varies, and this, I think, is where the significant concern comes in, particularly from mental health and disability groups.

For me, it has been difficult to come to terms with how I would feel if assisted dying became a possibility for my relative. 

You may think the Bill as it is offered prevents that happening. And to an extent that is true.

The Bill in its current form has safeguards in place that mean those who would be eligible for assisted dying would need the approval of two independent doctors, have a terminal illness and be mentally capable of making that decision. A High Court judge then has to sign off on every case.

Many of us, I think, would agree that those suffering from a debilitating terminal illness should have the freedom to ask for medical assistance to die.

But there have been real concerns about the “slippery slope” of the proposals. If it becomes law, how do we guarantee it is not used to compensate for a lack of adequate healthcare, or for those experiencing debilitating mental health conditions?

This “slippery slope” has been seen in Canada. While it was initially just for the terminally ill when it was first introduced in 2016, it was amended a few years later, in 2021, to include those experiencing “unbearable suffering” from an irreversible illness or disability.

The expansion of this to people with a mental illness has been delayed in Canada but is still expected to be introduced by 2027.

While the MPs of today may have the best intentions to relieve the suffering of those with a terminal condition, can we be absolutely certain that it isn’t later expanded to our loved ones who feel their condition has become too much to cope with or even burdensome?

We need our politicians to guarantee the proposals will never be extended to those living with serious mental conditions, like schizophrenia in my relative’s case.

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I have witnessed the despair mental illness causes from a young age. I know the struggle of waiting for an adequate mental health plan to be put in place for them when they hit rock bottom.

Unfortunately, in those moments, I know they would do anything they can to stop the pain.

But I have also seen how life can be for them when the fog clears. It can take months, and in my relative’s case, years. But I have seen that when medication and continuous support is in place, it helps them find meaning in life again.

The assisted dying proposals are tough decisions for our MPs. Their decisions should not be rushed.

If they choose to accept the general principles of the Bill, I, and those with lived experience would ask them to ensure the safeguards to protect vulnerable adults are in place.

I believe it is a wider question on the state of our health service. We know the support and care for the disabled is not adequate, and who knows how much worse it will be in the years to come.

What I do know, is that we must see mental illness for what it is. It is a life-altering condition. But it doesn’t have to be, and should never be, life ending.

Our politicians accept the NHS needs work. If they are to pass legislation on the right to die, the challenges in our health care must be acted on.

The choice to end your life should be a last resort for those seeking a dignified death from a terminal illness. It should never be an option that compensates for errors in our health service.