Exclusive
Palliative care doctor urges Starmer to boost NHS end of life care funding after MPs back assisted dying bill
30 November 2024, 12:06
A palliative care doctor has urged Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting to boost funding for end-of-life care after the assisted dying bill passed on Friday.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Rachel Clarke told LBC's Matt Frei that the Prime Minister and Health Secretary should "guarantee a massive injection of resources to ensure that Britain cares for its most vulnerable citizens" at the same time as bringing in assisted dying, assuming the bill passes.
Palliative care is not fully funded by the NHS, with hospices largely relying on charitable donations.
The bill, which would give adults with less than six months to live with a terminal illness - the right to help with ending their lives, passed on Friday with a majority of just 55 votes after a passionate debate.
Supporters argue it would allow more dignity in death, but others are worried it could put even more pressure on the NHS and have concerns about the ethical implications of the state helping people to die.
Caller explains why he fears the assisted dying bill could fail if the right systems aren't in place
Dr Clarke said that "words here are irrelevant," adding that "the most honourable and compassionate thing to do right now, particularly in the light of the bill passing yesterday, is to honour and respect and not look away from dying people and say, we will fund this properly."
She said that if Starmer and Streeting don't boost palliative care funding "they are turning their backs on the dying people they say they care about."
Dr Clarke issued a direct appeal to the PM and Health Secretary, saying "that there is a grave danger that their legacy may be... making it easier for people now in Britain to end their lives while not funding the palliative care that makes people still want to live".
She said: "If they don't do that, they think their legacy will be one of shame."
Terminal cancer patient says MPs voting in favour of allowing assisted dying gives her 'peace of mind'
The assisted dying bill still needs to go through several steps before becoming law.
But veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott, who voted against the bill, told Matt that the substance of the bill is likely to remain largely the same.
A lot of the people that took part in the debate yesterday seem to think that Kim Leadbeater's bill could be turned upside down in committee," she said. "Well, it's not going to be turned upside down, and they're going to have to deal with the fact that the bill we've debated yesterday will be the bill that will come back to us.
"And they're going to have to face up to their reservations and decide whether they're going to support it with all their reservations or not."
Meanwhile the architect of the bill said that there was still "a lot of work to do" before it can become law.
Kim Leadbeater said: "I'm very happy with the Bill or I wouldn't have proposed it.
"But if people feel there are slight changes that we need to make and amendments that they want to put forward, that's what Parliament does," she told the BBC. "That's part of the process in the same way with any other piece of legislation, so let's get going on that."
Ms Leadbeater told LBC she was "really pleased" with the result. She also added she was "emotionally exhausted".
"It's been a tough day. It was a very emotional debate."
She said the debate had been "very compassionate and respectful."
