Assisted Dying Bill faces key Commons vote

The first three months of this year have seen much activity around the Committee stages of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Social work will now have a voice if all goes forward. Most of you will have read Annie Ho’s ‘Why social work must have a voice in right to end-of-life-decisions (PSW March/April 2025). BASW, whilst remaining neutral on the principle, has actively contributed to the debate and produced an excellent briefing for MPs in January 2025 which is highly recommended. 

After consultation with members, our Policy, Ethics, Human Rights Committee (PEHR) chaired by Annie Ho, laid out our areas of interest and concerns, including some significant suggestions for change, a number of which have already been included, especially in relation to safeguarding and with the inclusion of a mental capacity assessment. She argues persuasively that in the current debate, death is becoming medicalised and is developing into a clinical issue for a lot of people. Annie finishes the piece powerfully,

“Social workers are good at supporting vulnerable adults to live well. Their skills are equally important in helping people to die well.” 

Personally, and indeed professionally, I would also like to see a better understanding and inclusion of the support and grief counselling role of social work both for family and for those who have reached end of life decisions. Dignity in Dying also recognises the need for this to be to be considered more fully, as happens in Australia. Hopefully this will come in the UK with time. It is certainly encouraging to see the role of social work in place as it should be as a principle.

The debate has been, understandably passionate and often personalised. Some have argued that such a sensitive and significant matter should not have been the subject of a private Members Bill. Whilst these arguments have merit, it is nevertheless the case that the legislation has been extensively debated at committee stage and a significant number of amendments have been taken. The next milestone is May 16th when Parliament will decide the next steps. 

Meanwhile, it is reported that some 74% of the general public are in favour of the principle of the Bill. The figures are lower in ethnic minority groups. Now would be a good time for us all to contact our MP to make our voice heard, whatever views you have on the issue. You can find your MP here.

Some BASW members have argued that as social workers we are already over worked and over capacity. Whilst this is undeniably true, it cannot be justification for social work not engaging in an area of such demonstrable need. More resources will certainly be part of our argument for change and development, plus of course strong input into the provision of professional frameworks and training. Another strong argument is that the provision of Palliative Care must be significant in the provision of services at the end of life. No one would support a situation where choice is limited to choosing death as a result of poor or no palliative care services. 

The argument that this Bill is being rushed through and that there are many more considerations to be taken into account, again has merit. We should certainly be supporting the need to take time over how it will be implemented. In doing this, we can learn from colleagues in other countries. We also have, as Annie Ho has so rightly pointed out, already considerable knowledge and expertise to draw on in social work to make this work well for those who chose it.

BASW UK is in the fortunate position of representing each of our four Nations and each is at a different stage. The current legalisation under debate covers England and Wales. In Scotland, there is currently no specific crime of assisting a suicide, but it is possible that helping a person to die could lead to prosecution for murder. The Assisted Dying for terminally ill Adults (Scotland) Bill was introduced in March 2024 and is now being considered by the Health, Social Care and Sports Committee. In NI both parties say they would consider supporting a change to the law as long as proper safeguards are in place.

As I write this, the Isle of Man has announced that assisted dying will be legalised. Under the provisions of the Assisted Dying Bill 2023, adults over 18 with a prognosis of 12 months or less to live will be given the right to choose to die. 

We now await to see what the future for people wishing to make similar choice holds in England and Wales. May 16th looms large.