Dignity in Dying welcomes General Medical Council’s decision to develop guidance for fitness to practice managers on assisted dying

Dignity in Dying welcomes the General Medical Council’s (GMC) decision to develop guidance for case examiners and the Investigation Committee to help them to decide what action to take if a doctor is alleged to have assisted in a suicide. The public consultation on the draft guidance for GMC case examiners and the Investigation Committee is due to launch early next year.

Davina Hehir, Dignity in Dying’s Director of Policy and legal Strategy said:

“There is still a great deal of ambiguity around what doctors can and cannot do when a patient asks for help to die; a recent Dignity in Dying poll found that a majority of GPs felt there was insufficient guidance in this area.

“Whilst the new guidance for Fitness to Practice decision makers will not change the legal position for doctors and patients, we welcome the intention to set out clearly how complaints regarding assisted suicide will be dealt with by the GMC.

“We have no doubt that this guidance will help case examiners and in turn doctors in the future when considering this issue.”

Ends.

Notes to editor:

About Dignity in Dying:

• Dignity in Dying campaigns for greater choice, control and access to services at the end of life. It advocates providing terminally ill adults with the option of an assisted death, within strict legal safeguards, and for universal access to high quality end-of life care.
• Dignity in Dying has over 25,000 supporters and receives its funding entirely from donations from the public.

Media Contacts:

For all Dignity in Dying media enquiries, or for details of the poll referred to in the release please contact Jo Cartwright on 07725433025 or at jo.cartwright@dignityindying.org.uk.