The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Methodist Church in Ireland warns assisted dying bill will create ‘a duty to die’ on elderly and disabled people

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater formally introduced the The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to MPs last month. MPs are expected to debate and vote on it on 29 November.

If the bill is passed in Westminster it will apply only to England and Wales, however the Methodist Church in Ireland says it is "still of significant concern" to Northern Ireland.

Rev Dr David Clements CSR, Chair of the Northern Executive of the church’s Council on Social Responsibility (CSI) said they had compiled a report in 2013 which considered the implications for people with terminal or mental illnesses and disabilities.

They noted that in public debate "Physician Assisted Suicide" has now become "Assisted Dying" or "Dying with Dignity".

"We note the changing terminology but are concerned that removing the explicit reference to the role of the doctor and the description of the essential nature of the act – ie suicide – are intended to soften the impact of permitting acts that at present are not legal," he said.

He also noted that since their last report other countries have legalised euthanasia.

"The situation may vary from one country to another and people may interpret the evidence in a way that suits their own position but what seems clear is that the ‘slippery slope argument’ is a very valid one. The danger is that a right to die becomes a duty to die."

He cited a recent warning on the matter from Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, who said: “Pressure mounts on those who are nearing death, from others or even from themselves, to end their life in order to take away a perceived burden of care from their family, for the avoidance of pain, or for the sake of an inheritance.”

Rev McClements also called on the Government to increase funding for palliative and end of life care.

"It cannot be right that many hospices have spare bed capacity which they are unable to use because they don’t have the funding for staff, and this, while people die in hospitals waiting for a hospice place,” he added.