England’s first Citizens’ Jury on assisted dying concludes the law should change to permit assisted death
Published: 13 September 2024
The first Citizens’ Jury on assisted dying in England has concluded that the law should change to permit assisted dying. UofG's Professor Anne Kerr was Independent Chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics’ Assisted Dying Advisory Board.
The first Citizens’ Jury on assisted dying in England has concluded that the law should change to permit assisted dying.
The Jury, commissioned by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (NCOB) have concluded that if a person has a terminal illness and capacity to make their own decision about an assisted death, they should be able to access both physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia within the law.
Professor Anne Kerr, Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences, was Independent Chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics’ Assisted Dying Advisory Board.
She said: “The Jury findings indicate broad support for a change in the law in England, with some important details about what this should involve. This is a significant finding that will be valuable for policy makers who are considering whether and how to take forward legislative change.
“Our focus has always been on supporting an informed debate so, I am delighted we have been able to facilitate this highly valuable contribution to an important national conversation.
“I would like to thank everyone involved in making this Jury happen, especially the Jury members for their dedication to the task and for conducting their deliberations with respect, openness and a willingness to engage with perspectives other than their own.”
Jury members were randomly selected using a democratic lottery and stratification process called Sortition, to provide a representative sample of the English population. Together, they participated in an eight week long deliberative process, which was designed to help them explore the complexity of assisted dying. They heard from a range of experts and considered a wide array of evidence before casting their votes on whether the law should be changed to allow assisted death.
The top two motivations given for supporting a change in the law were to stop pain and a belief in having the option to end your own life. The top two reasons given for not supporting a change in the law were that it could be used for the wrong reasons if safeguarding is not in place, and it could be misinterpreted or misused causing challenges for society and the legal system.
The Jury were also asked if there were any recommendations or changes to assisted dying policy they would make, if the law were to remain as it is today. Close to all Jury members called for the act of helping a friend / family member to travel to Dignitas to be decriminalised, if assisted dying were to remain illegal in the UK. A similar proportion of Jury members also felt that more funding should be put towards improving NHS palliative care.
There was recognition from the Jury that the work they have done in sharing experiences and perspectives on assisted dying has been immensely valuable in understanding a range of viewpoints and considerations. Together they are calling for further open conversations about assisted dying.
Emma, Jury member said: “I didn’t have any strong opinions when I was invited to the Jury. I was open to hearing views of others and to exploring this important topic more. The Jury facilitators made the whole experience incredibly easy for us and provided us with pastoral support throughout. We listened to speakers with a wide range of experiences and viewpoints before spending the time needed to discuss all that we heard. And despite some of us having quite different feelings, the discussions were always positive and respectful.
“It was a real privilege to be able to take part in this Citizens’ Jury to explore the highly sensitive but important topic of assisted dying. I have met some really amazing people who I hope to keep in touch with. If you ever have the opportunity to take part in a Citizen’s Jury I would highly recommend it to anyone.”
Ashok, Jury member said: “I came into the Jury process with a pre-conceived mindset. Following the in-person conference, my fellow Jury members were able to provide different dimensions. It also helped me to analyse the pros and cons associated with assisted dying in particular. It was important to understand the perception from the general public, legal experts solicitors, clinicians, campaigning and advocacy groups and so on, which enabled to me see the concept in a different light. The face-to-face workshops brought out the best in me and helped me to see the topic in a critical perspective.”
Assisted dying is not permitted by law in the UK, but is legal in several countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Switzerland.
First published: 13 September 2024