Quote:
Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington
You use derogatory terms for those who argue against ending life on compassionate grounds. This has the effect of negating your views somewhat.
I know there are supposed to be safeguards against the rules being corrupted, but do you trust those in authority not to be corrupted.
I worked in women's health for many years and when I first started, termination of a pregnancy was not easy for a woman to access, but when I left the NHS, it was termination on demand.....yes, the supposed safeguards of Two Doctors etcetera was still in place, but this was no barr to women getting termination of pregnancy(and some women were seen more than once).
I have seen people dying, I have seen people given life limiting diagnoses, but still I am not sure that legislation to end life is the way forward.
Shouldn't we be caring for the dying in a better way?
Shouldn't the government support the hospice movement in a better, more structured way?
i would not like the medical profession to be in the situation of euthanising people. It is a very short step to taking the old and infirm out of the population because they are no longer seen to be useful.
Where people have helped someone to die(none medical personnel that is), where there has been strong evidence that this was what the deceased wished, have any of those helpers been prosecuted, jailed or given some kind of criminal record?
I am only asking because I don't know.
Do you really want a Harold Shipman making decisions on who should be dispatched from life?
This is a subject which polarises opinion because it is very emotive.
My stance is not one of inexperience either.....my father died of lung cancer, my mother was given the diagnosis of cancer so 13 years ago.....had she taken the road of assisted dying (fearing that she would be in constant pain)she would not be here now....but she is here, and although the diagnosis changed her life....it was not the end of her life.
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I concur with you wholeheartedly , Margaret .
For ten years I worked in a nursing home and saw many die . I cannot recall any of the doctors , nurses , residents suggesting that there should be some intervention to end the lives of those dying .
Rather the emphasis was on palliative care......something which is improving all the time as medical practice progresses .
The old adage "Hard cases make bad law" needs to be kept in mind .