The conversation around end-of-life care is one of the most profound and challenging our society faces. This lecture will consider the complex ethical, legal, and emotional landscape of assisted dying and its relationship with palliative care through a humanist lens—one that places human dignity, reason, and compassion at its core.

The debate is often seen as a binary conflict of absolutes. Although complex and nuanced, the focus of integrated terminal care should be on how can provide quality care to alleviate suffering, while respecting the autonomy and choices of the individual. 

Dr. David Cleal is a now retired local GP, who worked in hospital medicine, General Practice and Sports Medicine. As a GP he worked with patients with terminal care at home and their families, in a multidisciplinary team including nurses, social services and palliative care specialists.

In addition, his personal family circumstances give him additional insights to the issues of terminal care and assisted dying.