Disabled CoE adviser fears impact of legalising assisted suicide

The leader of the Church of England’s neurodiversity working group has spoken out against the proposed legalisation of assisted suicide.

Earlier this 12 months the House of Commons voted in favour of the measure, which is resulting from come before the House of Lords in September.

Fiona MacMillan, who can also be a lay member of the General Synod for the Diocese of London and chair of the Disability Advisory Group at St Martin-in-the-Fields, warned that concerns concerning the scope of the laws being expand were well founded.

She noted that five years after the introduction of assisted suicide in Canada the law was prolonged to incorporate the disabled.

“Now disabled Canadians commonly report that it’s easier to get funding for assisted dying than it’s for assisted living,” she wrote on the Church of England website. 

Her concerns echo those of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who said before the Commons vote that the best of freedom of selection could be greatly undermined if selecting suicide was practically easier and cheaper than selecting palliative care.

MacMillan claimed that many disabled people in Britain “feel in danger” resulting from an increase in discrimination.

“For example, there may be evidence that throughout the Covid pandemic, Do Not Attempt Resuscitation notices (DNRs) were applied to individuals with learning disabilities, dementia and autistic people – without the knowledge or consent of patients or of their families,” she said. 

MacMillan also noted that frustration, grief, anger, depression and an entire host of emotions can easily accompany a recent disability and that disabled people could be particularly susceptible to making a rash decision to commit suicide, especially in the event that they have previously not suffered from a disability. This being despite the truth that such initial feelings often give approach to adjustments and recent ways of living life.

“But in those dark early days” MacMillan says, “many could also be vulnerable to despair, finding it hard to imagine that a superb life is feasible.

“There’s a danger that noticing only what doesn’t work, not wanting to be a burden to others – and maybe coercion – might incline disabled people towards assisted suicide.

“And those that struggle for support with assisted living could also be signposted to support with assisted dying.”