Doctors to be asked whether assisted dying law should change

Consultation: GPs will be asked their stance on assisted dying
PA
Jacob Jarvis22 June 2019

Doctors are to be asked if they think they believe there should be a change in the law on assisted dying.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is to consult its 53,000 members on the issue.

This will be the first time it has done so in six years.

The current stance is it is opposed to any change in the law on assisted dying and the result of a 2013 consultation was that members said the college should not change its stance.

On Saturday, it was decided by the college's governing council another consultation should now take place.

RCGP chairwoman Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard said: "Assisted dying is an incredibly emotive issue that polarises opinions.

"It has been nearly six years since we asked our members as to whether we should support a change in the law on assisted dying - since then, it is possible that views within our membership have shifted.

"As such, RCGP Council has decided that the time is right to conduct this consultation, and we will be issuing further details of how we will do this in due course."

Details as to how the consultation will take place are to be made public in due course.

Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK.

Doctors found guilty of helping someone to die can be jailed for up to 14 years.

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