MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket Peter Prinsley and the Rev Canon Christopher Robinson, from St Mary’s with St Peter’s, share views on assisted dying bill

A Suffolk MP has outlined his reasons for supporting an assisted dying bill which will be discussed in Parliament tomorrow.

Peter Prinsley, MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, has urged his fellow MPs not to abstain from the vote on the second reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - which has provoked national debate.

The ear, nose and throat surgeon said: “We are not voting on Friday to pass a new law, we are voting for the bill to progress further through the parliamentary system, particularly to the committee stage, it will then go to the House of Lords where it will be further scrutinised.”

If voted through, the bill would make it legal for over-18s, who are terminally ill and expected to die within six months, to be given assistance to end their own life.

Mr Prinsley said: “I am a supporter of the concept that we should support people to make a choice at the very end of their lives.

“It (the legislation) will be very carefully controlled in the sense there will be two separate doctors who have to agree it is the right thing to do.

“There will be some sort of judicial process in court, so there will be some assurance there is no coercion, all of these things need to be considered.

“This is not something which is going to be applied to people who have chronic diseases that are not terminal, it is just for people that are actually dying and I think that is the point that needs to be put across.”

The MP said as a younger doctor he would have been against the bill, however since seeing people at the end of their lives his view has changed and he thinks ‘in carefully selected situations’, it is the right thing to do.

Addressing the view that improving end-of-life care would be an alternative to the bill, Mr Prinsley said: “It is complementary to palliative care, not an alternative.”

The MP said: “End of life care needs to be properly resourced and funded from the health service and not necessarily funded by charity as much as it is now.

“But even with the best palliative care, the best resources and the most skilled palliative care teams, there are still individuals who would prefer to end their lives.

“I think that this is the group we are really talking about.”

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has been introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater.

In recent weeks the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, said he plans to vote against the bill, while the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Labour MPs would be given a free vote on the issue.

SuffolkNews has spoken to a former doctor, church leader and hospices, based in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich, regarding the debate.

Dora Clement, of Bury St Edmunds, who qualified as as doctor in 2001, said she has multiple concerns about the assisted dying bill.

Though not currently practising, Dora, who specialised in the field of mental health, said she is worried that the bill will be seen as an alternative to investing in palliative end of life care during an era of budget constraints.

Dora, who worked as a doctor until 2012, said: “Although there are safeguards in place, we know from experience in other countries - these can be potentially changed, with risks to the vulnerable.”

“Instead of this bill, as our as our Health Secretary has urged, let us invest in caring and not killing.

“Many, many doctors are diligent and genuinely caring - people I have been so privileged to know and work with.

“I have also been very privileged to work with the most courageous of patients who trusted their multidisciplinary teams to alleviate their suffering.

“This bill threatens that vital trust which underpins much that is good in the NHS.”

The Rev Canon Christopher Robinson, the vicar of St Mary’s with St Peter’s in Bury St Edmunds, said the clergy often visit people at times of real suffering - when they are nearing the end of their lives.

Mr Robinson said: “Some approach death more peacefully than others, and it can be a painful and challenging experience, not least for the family as well as the person who is dying.

“It is therefore entirely understandable that we want to bring that suffering to an end sooner, and therefore I have no doubt that there are good intentions behind many of those who support assisted dying.

“However this change, no matter how limited, no matter how many safeguards are put in place, is a good intentioned path to a truly dystopian and dark future.

“Many will talk about the slippery slope, and of course there can be no doubt that what might be considered unthinkable now will be normal if not encouraged in a surprisingly short time.

“But on a deeper level there is no slippery slope with assisted dying, because once the state has decided it can legally end someone's life, then we have already made a fundamental change in the power we have given to the state, and medical services.”

Linda McEnhill, CEO of St Nicholas Hospice Care, said though the charity maintains a neutral stance on the debate it acknowledges assisted dying is a complex and emotive issue and respects everyone’s right to their own personal opinion.

“At St Nicholas Hospice Care, we believe that everyone should have access to high-quality, compassionate palliative and end-of-life care, regardless of who they are, where they live, or their circumstances,” said Linda.

“Whatever the future holds regarding the law around assisted dying, we are firm in our belief that fair funding and equal access to palliative and end-of-life care are essential across the UK.”

A spokesman for St Elizabeth Hospice said: “For over 35 years, we have been proud to provide ‘outstanding’ end-of-life care and palliative care to our local community.

“Our team remains dedicated to ensuring our high-quality, compassionate services are accessible to patients and their families, whenever and wherever it is needed.

“We recognise ‘assisted dying’ is an emotive topic and that hospice staff, trustees, supporters, and volunteers will reflect the broad range of views held in society.

“We will listen to these perspectives and respect everyone’s right to their own opinion.

“As a hospice, we are committed to expanding our holistic and personalised services to meet the evolving needs of our local community - today, tomorrow and for years to come.

“We are united as a team in working towards our ambition of achieving greater parity of end-of-life care.”

The Samaritans can be contacted 365 days a year, day or night.

You can call them for free on 116 123 or email them at at jo@samaritans.org, alternatively visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.