November 29th 2024.
Human-like Text:
Rachael Maskell, the Member of Parliament for York Central, has made it clear that she is strongly against her colleague Kim Leadbeater's Assisted Dying Bill. In fact, she has urged her fellow MPs to vote against it in Parliament today, stating that their main priority should be improving palliative care.
As a former physiotherapist, Maskell has become a prominent figure in the fight against Leadbeater's Bill. In an interview with Metro, she expressed her strong opposition, saying, "There's absolutely no way I could even consider voting for this."
The Assisted Dying Bill, which has been introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, will be voted on today by MPs. This comes almost a decade after a similar proposal was rejected by a large majority in the House of Commons. If the Bill passes, terminally ill adults in the UK will have the legal right to end their lives with the help of medical professionals, as long as two doctors and a High Court judge agree.
However, Maskell, who has a background in the acute sector, believes that her colleagues must consider the wider impact of such a significant change. One of her main concerns is the provision that allows doctors to bring up the option of assisted death with their patients.
Under the Terminally Ill Adults Bill, a registered medical professional can use their professional judgement to decide when it is appropriate to discuss assisted dying with a patient. This, according to Maskell, completely changes the role of a doctor, who is meant to "first do no harm." She believes that this Bill goes against that principle.
Maskell also has concerns about the language used in the Bill, which she believes leaves room for coercion from family members and society as a whole. She shared an example of a conversation she had with someone who had parents in Canada, where assisted dying is legal. They felt pressured to choose that option rather than burdening the healthcare system.
The MP for York Central also believes that the current state of palliative care in the UK is not good enough to give people a fair choice. She argues that if the NHS was properly funded and resourced, there would be less demand for assisted dying. She stated, "We have to focus on getting this bit right before going down this uncertain path."
The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has allowed a free vote on this issue, meaning that MPs can vote according to their own beliefs rather than being influenced by party whips. Cabinet members are divided on the Bill, with some, like Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, openly opposing it, while others, like former Prime Minister David Cameron and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, supporting it.
Leadbeater, the Labour backbencher who introduced the Bill, argues that it has strong safeguards in place, including the requirement for agreement from a High Court judge. She also pointed out that there are periods of reflection built into the text of the Bill. However, Streeting has expressed concern that the introduction of assisted dying could come at the expense of other NHS services.
In conclusion, Maskell believes that voting down the Assisted Dying Bill at second reading is the only way to shift the focus back to improving palliative care in the UK. She hopes that by getting the NHS working properly and adequately funding palliative care, the demand for assisted dying will decrease.
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