The British Humanist Association (BHA) has responded to the General Medical Council’s (GMC) consultation on their End of Life Care strategy, focusing its response in particular on the issues of assisted dying and organ donation.
Naomi Phillips, BHA Public Affairs Officer, said, ‘We are considered an important stakeholder by the GMC, particularly in terms of matters relating to end of life care. Over the past year we have done a considerable amount of work on the issue of organ donation, and we were very pleased to see information about that subject included in the GMC’s guidance.’
Ms Phillips continued, ‘One issue that has been excluded from this draft guidance is that of assisted dying. It is our position that matters of end of life care are inseparable from our view that there is a right to die with dignity and that this includes the availability of physician assisted suicide for the terminally ill. In our response, we advise the GMC to ensure that their guidance will reflects any changes in legislation which reform the law on assisted dying.’
Notes
For further comment or information, contact Naomi Phillips on 020 7079 3585.
Read the BHA’s response to the GMC consultation on End of Life Care
The British Humanist Association (BHA) is the national charity representing and supporting the non-religious and campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief. It is the largest organisation in the UK working for a secular state.