Holyrood’s health and social care committee is looking to hear views on a Bill which would allow terminally ill adults in Scotland to choose to be given assistance by healthcare professionals to end their lives.

Members of the public and organisations will have until the 16^th of August to feed into the committee’s examination of the principles of Liam McArthur MSP’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.

They can do so via a short survey for individual responses, or through the detailed call for evidence for stakeholders who wish to provide specific comments on individual provisions that are set out in the Bill.

The Bill seeks to establish a formal healthcare process to enable people in Scotland to legally access assisted dying through ‘self-administered’ means.

Launching the consultation today, committee convener Clare Haughey MSP said the committee recognises the sensitive nature of the issue:

“We will ensure we take the time to scrutinise the details of this Bill carefully and provide an opportunity for all views to be considered.

“Our committee is keen to hear from individuals and organisations whether or not they agree with the general principles of the Bill, whether they have comments on specific provisions or whether they wish to suggest alternative approaches.

“We welcome all views, including from people affected by terminal illness, their families and carers, campaign groups either for or against the Bill and healthcare professionals.”

The Bill sets out steps which must be taken for someone to end their life, defining “terminally ill” as advanced and progressive disease, illness or condition from which a person is unable to recover, and can reasonably be expected to cause their premature death.

Only adults who meet this, and residency and mental capacity criteria, would be eligible.

Introduced into parliament almost two years ago, the bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill people after a public consultation saw over 75% of respondents supporting the law.

None of the three previous attempts to legislate on assisted dying in the Scottish parliament have passed Stage 1.

However, various countries across the world have legalised a form of assisted dying or suicide including Canada, New Zealand, Belgium, Spain and Switzerland, and American states including Oregon, California and Washington.

Disabled activist and Vice Chair of Inclusion Scotland Dr Jim Elder-Woodward has raised concerns said that the legislation is out of step with the current times and argued that many who would be directly affected by it are fearful of its consequences.

The Bill details preliminary steps to introduce assisted dying, outlining that how it would be applied on an individual basis, where anyone eligible under its specified criteria would be exempt from criminal or civil liability.

The medical practitioner assessing a person under this legislation must consider not only if they are terminally ill, but their capacity to request an end to their life.

Seeking to deliver independent assessment, the Bill states this practitioner must not have previously provided treatment or care to the person being assessed or be closely related to the individual and their direct care team.

Meanwhile, anyone with a conscientious objection to assisted dying – including healthcare professionals – would be able to exempt themselves from the process, according to the proposed legislation.

The Bill would also make it an offence to coerce or pressure a terminally ill adult into requesting an assisted death.

Committee convener Ms Haughey added:

“Our committee takes its scrutiny role extremely seriously and is committed to scrutinising this Bill in a transparent, balanced and thorough manner.”

The call for views closes on Friday 16^th August.

Read more: Assisted Dying Bill - The thin edge of the wedge?; Outstanding questions stall NCS scrutiny; Dementia long-term care services need urgent reform; Carers facing full force of health and care crisis; Feeley: NCS still an opportunity for transformation; Independent Living Fund to reopen; Feeley: Social care change can happen now

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