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Assisted dying will result in huge savings in Britain

Legalising assisted dying in Britain could result in the deaths of 7,500 people each year within a decade, an official report has concluded.

Up to 60% of requests for death will be approved, according to an impact assessment report written by Britain’s Department of Health and Social Care.

The report analyses the outcome of a private member’s bill being sponsored by Kim Leadbetter MP to legalise assisted dying for the terminally ill.

The report states that there are no official statistics in England and Wales for the number of terminally ill adults, despite calls by hospice campaigners for better funding of palliative and end-of-life care.

Legalised assisted dying will result in considerable cost savings for the NHS, the report concludes.

If assisted dying prematurely ends life by one month per applicant, healthcare costs will be cut by up to £4.21 million in year one, rising to £25.6 million in year ten, the report states.

Savings

There will also be up to £2.17 million saved in state pensions in the first year, rising to £18.3 million within a decade, the 149-page report concludes.

The official report adds that reduced expenditure is not a goal of the legislation but nevertheless sets out the financial gains to the state.

Healthcare costs soar in the final months of life.

The bill committee has moved away from an initial requirement that assisted dying be approved by a High Court judge.

Initial costs of legalising assisted dying are estimated at £13.6 million annually, given the costs of appointing a commissioner and scrutiny panel, which will approve requests for death.

The report states that the government is neutral on the substantive policy questions and on the principle of assisted dying but has a responsibility to ensure that any legislation is lawful, effective and enforceable.

It examines the proposed legislation under existing equality duties and the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination.

Burden

The report points to evidence which suggests that disabled people may be more susceptible to feeling as though they are a burden on those around them.

“Pressure is not necessarily felt or applied by other people – disabled people may feel subtle pressure due to attitudinal barriers or a lack of alternative appropriate services and support (for example, when accessing palliative care),” it states.

Disabled people are also twice as likely (compared to non-disabled people) to be victims of domestic abuse which includes coercive behaviour, the report adds.

Those with learning disabilities may struggle to understand the information provided to them about accessing assisted dying, the report continues.

Criminal offence

The bill provides for the creation of criminal offences for those who, by dishonesty, coercion or pressure, induce another person to self-administer an approved substance.

These offences carry a sentence of up to 14 years or life respectively.

The report also says that no figures are available for the numbers of victims of domestic abuse who have a terminal illness who may want assistance to end their own life.

“Evidence suggests that healthcare professionals lack training and education regarding domestic abuse and may be unwilling to engage in conversations about domestic abuse,” the report states.

A 2019 survey of more than 6,600 members of the Royal College of General Practitioners showed two in three (66%) said they had a “moral objection to assisted dying” with 53% saying this is due to their religious beliefs.

Conscientious objection is available for health professionals, should they object to participating in provision of assistance for assisted dying, the report states.

The bill is also drafted so as not to exclude people with mental health conditions from accessing voluntary assisted dying services where they are otherwise eligible to do so.

Having a mental health condition does not mean someone does not have capacity, the report states.

However, the bill’s scheme for assessing capacity is a legal test rather than a medical one.