Dorothy House position on Assisted Dying

Assisted dying, defined by the BMJ as “prescribing life ending drugs for terminally ill, mentally competent adults to administer themselves after meeting strict legal safeguards“, is currently illegal in the UK. We will continue to work within the framework of current laws and according to best practice in palliative care.

Dorothy House’s position on Assisted Dying

Dorothy House maintains a neutral position on this sensitive issue because we believe that best allows us to serve every individual who might need us within our communities.

However, with the 2024 Health and Social Care Select Committee’s (H&SCSC) report on Assisted Dying/Assisted Suicide and devolved governments’ private members’ bills calling for a legal change, we are watching the debate and listening to the diverse views of our staff, volunteers and community with interest.

As a provider of compassionate end of life care, the following statements articulate the Dorothy House position on assisted dying:

1.  As a champion of the “What Matters To You” Charter, Dorothy House supports patient choice and access to care within the boundaries of the law, adapting our position as the legal context changes over time.
2. We believe in access to Specialist Palliative care for everyone. With increasing demand this is not possible within the current funding and delivery model for these services. These services should be appropriately funded, and changes made to the system that delivers them, to ensure real choice for all regardless of whether there are changes to laws around Assisted Dying.
3. At Dorothy House we have a vision of a society where death is a part of life. The H&SCSC supports this view and expressed the need to open up conversations about assisted dying with health and social care staff and improve death literacy within communities.
4. Internally, the Hospice will continue debating the issue through informed and sensitive engagement, respecting the right of individuals to hold their own opinions.