Grange Road Baptist Church to host assisted suicide debate (From The Northern Echo)

Grange Road Baptist Church to host assisted suicide debate

8:12am Friday 20th November 2009 in

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THE law surrounding assisted suicide is changing, with members of the public being offered a chance to have their say before the proposals become statute.

As the national debate into the right to die nears its conclusion, a minister from Darlington has decided to open his church to hold a Question Time-style discussion on the issue.

The Reverend Dr John Elliston has invited experts to speak at the event, including theologian Professor Douglas Davies, Crown Prosecution Service solicitor Tivoli Wallington and nursing consultant Mel McEvoy.

Each will present their views on the debate before the floor is opened for questions.

The event follows a review of the law triggered by the case of Debbie Purdy.

Ms Purdy, a multiple sclerosis sufferer, wanted to ensure her partner would not be prosecuted if he accompanied her to a suicide clinic in Switzerland.

She won a judgement from the House of Lords in July, meaning her partner would not be prosecuted.

Following the ruling, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) immediately set out to clarify the law for people who help relatives, friends or loved ones to die.

A draft prosecution policy has been drawn up to show when the DPP would prosecute and where it would not.

People are now being asked to have their say on the draft policy before December 16.

Dr Elliston said: “There are moral, ethical, religious and practical dimensions to the decision to assist in another’s death.

“On such a critical issue, with the potential to touch all of us, we need to talk.”

The event is open to all, and will be held in Grange Road Baptist Church from 6pm next Friday.

Call 01325-360449 for details.

FOR: Dr John Troyer, from the Centre for Death and Society, Bath University

“IT is absolutely acceptable to choose death, and family members and/or friends who want to assist in that choice should be able to do so without fear of the law.

“I am also an outside observer on these debates. I was born and raised in the US and heartily welcome the UK’s national conversation about dying. My own country is a long way away from being able to have this kind of civil, engaged debate.

“Interestingly enough, though, as these current debates about changing the laws on assisted suicide go forward, two American states are often used as models.

“Both Oregon and Washington State have death with dignity laws, and the Oregon law is often cited (and used) as a leading example of a rigorously reviewed, fair law. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act has even withstood judicial review.

“I encourage one and all to engage in this debate and to consider how changing the law on assisted dying is a far greater act of human compassion than might be realised.”

AGAINST: Dr Trevor Birnie, from St Teresa’s Hospice, Darlington, who retired this year

“THERE is no easy way to commit suicide, no simple or unequivocally effective method.

“If physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia became legal this would become an issue for medical professionals as much as it currently is for friends or relatives of someone suffering; doctors have no training in how to kill someone.

“You need only look to death row in the USA for evidence of this, executions can and do go wrong, and with full medical support.

“Helping someone die without any form of training carries even more risk of mistakes.

“You have to wonder what effect surviving something like that would have on both the patient and people who care for them.

“Aside from these problems, making assisted dying or euthanasia legal could apply a subtle and dangerous pressure onto the ill. The easier it is made, the more pressure people will feel to choose it as an option to remove the emotional or financial stress they might feel is being placed on their loved ones.”