MPs vote against the assisted dying bill
Today, MPs voted on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, also known as the assisted dying bill. The Bill was defeated with 286 MPs voting against and 270 MPs voting in favour. This means that the Bill falls and no longer progresses through Parliament.
This is the same Bill that didn’t pass in April earlier this year due to running out of time in the House of Lords. The Bill was reintroduced by Lauren Edwards MP in June.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that he would not vote on the issue and has spoken about the need to fix palliative care before assisted dying can be introduced. Whereas the previous Prime Minister Keir Starmer voted in favour. This may have swayed more MPs to vote against the Bill.
We agree with the Prime Minister that palliative care needs to be fixed.
Reacting to today’s update our Chief Executive James Sanderson has said:
“The outcome today cannot end the conversation about fixing palliative and end-of-life care. The Bill has shone a much-needed spotlight on the state of palliative care in this country, and that attention cannot stop here.
“Too many people are still missing out on the care and support they need at the end of life. Preventing people from dying in unnecessary pain, distress, or in a place they would not choose requires serious reform and sustained commitment.
“With the right changes, the palliative care sector can reach many more people, but we need the Government to work with us to unlock that potential. While the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill may have fallen in Parliament, the Government's focus on reforming end-of-life care must not fall with it.”
Sue Ryder’s ecosystem for the future of palliative and end-of-life care can help to achieve this change. It will transform care by strengthening the palliative care people receive in hospitals, as well as helping to care for people closer to home.
This will include:
- developing support from palliative and end-of-life care professionals within NHS hospitals
- expanding care in the community through partnership working, 24/7 telephone support, and increased hospice at home services
- integrating palliative and end-of-life care with neighbourhood health services.
Working with the Government, we can make big improvements for people with terminal illness by:
- reducing corridor care and emergency hospital admissions for people at the end of life
- ensuring 24/7 support for patients and professionals
- caring for more patients in the community
- providing more people with high-quality palliative and end-of-life care when and where they need it, reducing inequity.