Assisted dying: MPs who backed bill say concerns remain

The bill allows medical practitioners “exercising their professional judgement to decide if, and when, it is appropriate to discuss the matter with a person”.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said doctors should not be “prohibited in law from raising this subject”.

But the BBC spoke to some MPs who voted in favour of the bill on Friday and are concerned about the planned provisions.

Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, said it must “be specifically stated in the bill that medical practitioners are not to raise assisted dying with any patient”.

“It should only be discussed if it is raised by the patient,” he told BBC News. “This helps mitigate the risk of accidental coercion, or the perception of a hint, at a time of immense emotional distress and vulnerability.”

Roz Savage, the Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds, said assisted dying should be “patient-led, not doctor-led”.

“To my mind, it would be very wrong for a doctor, or indeed anybody, to suggest to a person that they should seek assisted dying,” she said.

“I support the bill because it gives people choice, and this most important choice of their lives should not be in response to undue influence.”

Under the bill, the right to an assisted death will be granted to adults with less than six months to live, provided their request is approved by two doctors and a High Court judge.

MPs supported the proposed law change on Friday in the first Commons vote on the issue in nearly a decade, following an emotional debate in the chamber.

There will be more months of debate, during which MPs and peers could choose to amend parts of the bill. It will require the approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.