Angus Moon KC and Rachael Gourley deliver a presentation on ‘The Assisted Dying Bill: where we are and where we go next’ to the Medico-Legal Society of England and Wales
10th January 2025
On 9 January 2025, Angus Moon KC and Rachael Gourley delivered a talk titled ‘The Assisted Dying Bill: where we are and where we go next’ to the Medico-Legal Society of England and Wales.
Angus and Rachael analysed The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024-2025 and addressed possible issues from the perspective of both doctors and lawyers.
They began by summarising the domestic case law and recent cases before the European Court of Human Rights.
They identified further points to be considered to ensure that the law developed is fit for purpose and subject to appropriate safeguards to prevent abuse and achieves respect for the right to life.
Their talk identified a lack of detail in the Bill including on:
How, in practice, the Court will assess whether a patient is making a voluntary decision free from coercion and undue influence;
The precise role of the judge and whether live evidence will be heard; and
Whether the hearings will be heard in private or public.
Angus and Rachael concluded that a meaningful conversation about the development of assisted dying law must also consider how to fund and develop palliative care and how to improve access to psychiatric care in the community.
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