Assisted Dying Bill Faces Scrutiny Over Safeguards and Palliative Care Standards

The proposed legislation, which passed its second reading in Parliament, raises questions about care quality, funding, and ethical concerns in end-of-life services.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which would legalize assisted dying for terminally ill patients with less than six months to live, passed its second reading in the House of Commons with a 55-vote majority.
Critics, including MPs and palliative care experts, are pushing for amendments to improve NHS end-of-life care, fearing poor care could pressure patients into choosing assisted dying.
An independent commission led by Baroness Finlay and Labour MP Rachael Maskell is being formed to address gaps in palliative care and propose improvements to ensure equitable access to quality services.
Hospice UK has warned that some hospices may refuse to offer assisted dying on ethical or religious grounds, potentially requiring opt-out clauses for institutions and individual practitioners.
The bill includes safeguards such as approval by two doctors, a High Court judge, and a two-week cooling-off period, but concerns remain over implementation, funding, and the impact on public trust in healthcare providers.