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Health Secretary Wes Streeting recently expressed concerns about the lack of budget for an assisted dying service following a close vote by MPs in favor of the legislation. Streeting, a prominent opponent of the bill, highlighted the existing challenges in accessing high-quality end-of-life care and the financial constraints within the NHS, which could further burden terminally ill patients.
Despite Streeting’s reservations, the government remains neutral on the bill, which was approved by the Commons with a majority of 23 votes and is now under scrutiny in the House of Lords. Proponents argue that the legislation offers terminally ill adults the choice of a painless death, while critics fear coercion into seeking assisted dying.
An impact assessment released in May outlined the financial implications of the policy, estimating potential savings for the NHS in the range of £919,000 to £10.3m within the first six months. However, setting up an assisted dying service could incur costs exceeding £10m annually for staffing alone, with additional expenses for training reaching over £11m within the initial six months.
As the bill progresses to the Lords for examination, advocates like Dame Esther Rantzen emphasize the role of scrutinizing and questioning rather than obstructing the legislation. Meanwhile, opponents such as Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Lord Shinkwin hope to introduce more safeguards to strengthen the bill before it becomes law. Despite potential delays in the Lords, MP Kim Leadbeater, who guided the bill through the Commons, urges against playing games with such a significant and emotional issue
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