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| Nurses shift on assisted suicide | Nurses shift on assisted suicide |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has dropped its official opposition to the concept of helping patients to commit suicide. | |
| Instead the college has adopted a neutral position, neither supporting or opposing a change in the law. | Instead the college has adopted a neutral position, neither supporting or opposing a change in the law. |
| Allowing medical staff to provide patients with the drugs they would need to take to end their lives is currently illegal. | Allowing medical staff to provide patients with the drugs they would need to take to end their lives is currently illegal. |
| The RCN change follows a lengthy consultation of college members. | The RCN change follows a lengthy consultation of college members. |
| There is no overwhelming support among nurses for either opposing or supporting a change in the law on assisted suicide Dr Peter CarterRoyal College of Nursing | There is no overwhelming support among nurses for either opposing or supporting a change in the law on assisted suicide Dr Peter CarterRoyal College of Nursing |
| Members of the RCN council, which voted for the change on Friday, also decided that nurses should be given detailed guidance on the issue, which will now be drawn up. | Members of the RCN council, which voted for the change on Friday, also decided that nurses should be given detailed guidance on the issue, which will now be drawn up. |
| The guidance will consider the complicated legal, regulatory, ethical and clinical frameworks around assisted suicide. | The guidance will consider the complicated legal, regulatory, ethical and clinical frameworks around assisted suicide. |
| The British Medical Association remains opposed to assisted suicide, having briefly and controversially adopted a neutral stance several years ago. | The British Medical Association remains opposed to assisted suicide, having briefly and controversially adopted a neutral stance several years ago. |
| Dr Peter Carter, RCN chief executive, said: "Assisted suicide is a complicated issue and this was reflected in the range and variety of responses that we received to our consultation. | Dr Peter Carter, RCN chief executive, said: "Assisted suicide is a complicated issue and this was reflected in the range and variety of responses that we received to our consultation. |
| "The split in responses shows that there is no overwhelming support among nurses for either opposing or supporting a change in the law on assisted suicide." | "The split in responses shows that there is no overwhelming support among nurses for either opposing or supporting a change in the law on assisted suicide." |
| Vulnerable patients | Vulnerable patients |
| Dr Carter said the consultation had shown that nurses placed great importance on the need to protect vulnerable patients, and to ensure adequate investment in end-of-life care. | Dr Carter said the consultation had shown that nurses placed great importance on the need to protect vulnerable patients, and to ensure adequate investment in end-of-life care. |
| The RCN vote follows a three month consultation of members, which drew over 1,200 individual responses. | The RCN vote follows a three month consultation of members, which drew over 1,200 individual responses. |
| Of those, 49% supported assisted suicide, but 40% were opposed to the concept. | Of those, 49% supported assisted suicide, but 40% were opposed to the concept. |
| Overall, the RCN represents 400,000 members. | Overall, the RCN represents 400,000 members. |
| Sandra James, chair of the RCN Council, said: "Assisted suicide is a high-profile and emotive issue and it is right that we consulted thoroughly with members before coming to our decision. | Sandra James, chair of the RCN Council, said: "Assisted suicide is a high-profile and emotive issue and it is right that we consulted thoroughly with members before coming to our decision. |
| "Council had a long and careful deliberation of the range of options available." | "Council had a long and careful deliberation of the range of options available." |
| The RCN decision follows unsuccessful attempts to amend the Coroners and Justice Bill, which sought to legalise aspects of assisting suicide, including travelling with those who wish to commit suicide abroad. | The RCN decision follows unsuccessful attempts to amend the Coroners and Justice Bill, which sought to legalise aspects of assisting suicide, including travelling with those who wish to commit suicide abroad. |
| The Swiss organisation Dignitas has helped more than 115 people from the UK to commit suicide since it was founded in 1998. | The Swiss organisation Dignitas has helped more than 115 people from the UK to commit suicide since it was founded in 1998. |
| Dr Peter Saunders, campaign director of Care Not Killing Alliance, described the RCN move as a "quite bizarre" one which was based on a tiny percentage of its membership. | Dr Peter Saunders, campaign director of Care Not Killing Alliance, described the RCN move as a "quite bizarre" one which was based on a tiny percentage of its membership. |
| "This is surely no basis for a shift in the stance of the RCN in this highly controversial issue especially given that this minute sample, in which lobby groups are no doubt disproportionately represented, predictably voiced a very broad range of opinion." | "This is surely no basis for a shift in the stance of the RCN in this highly controversial issue especially given that this minute sample, in which lobby groups are no doubt disproportionately represented, predictably voiced a very broad range of opinion." |
| Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, which supports assisted suicide for the terminally ill, said: "The assisted dying debate is contentious, but as long as people have to suffer unnecessarily against their wishes at the end of life, it will not go away. | Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, which supports assisted suicide for the terminally ill, said: "The assisted dying debate is contentious, but as long as people have to suffer unnecessarily against their wishes at the end of life, it will not go away. |
| "We believe their decision is very sensible given the overwhelming public support for a change in the law." | "We believe their decision is very sensible given the overwhelming public support for a change in the law." |
| Doctors at the BMA's annual conference in Liverpool this month voted overwhelmingly against supporting a motion "allowing the choice of an assisted death by patients who are terminally ill and who have mental capacity". | Doctors at the BMA's annual conference in Liverpool this month voted overwhelmingly against supporting a motion "allowing the choice of an assisted death by patients who are terminally ill and who have mental capacity". |
| A BMA spokesperson said: "The BMA has a firm policy on this issue in that we are opposed to assisted dying and we are not lobbying for any change in the law in the UK." | A BMA spokesperson said: "The BMA has a firm policy on this issue in that we are opposed to assisted dying and we are not lobbying for any change in the law in the UK." |