The BGS pushes to provide oral evidence to Assisted Dying committee

31 January 2025

This week, the Committee for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, known as the Assisted Dying bill, started taking oral evidence from agreed witnesses including England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, as well as medical associations, societies, councils and charities.

Earlier this month, the British Geriatrics Society (BGS) wrote to the committee Chairs requesting the opportunity to provide oral evidence, but did not receive a response. Despite two separate amendments from MPs suggesting that the BGS be invited to give evidence, the Society was not included in the witness list.

Today, the BGS has written again to urge the committee chairs and the sponsor of the bill to ensure that the voices of older people and the healthcare professionals who care for them are heard.

In 2023, there were 581,363 deaths in England and Wales. 400,042 of these (69%) were in people aged over 75. Given that older people make up the majority of those dying each year, the BGS is concerned about the lack of representation from older people’s healthcare specialists and older people themselves on the witness list. Any change in the law on Assisted Dying will have a significant impact on these groups.

The BGS will submit written evidence to the committee but hopes that the committee will reconsider the opportunity to give oral evidence soon.

Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, BGS President, said:

The BGS is extremely disappointed that we were not called to give oral evidence, especially as our patient group is most likely to be affected by the Bill.

The BGS position is that it is opposed to the legalisation of Assisted Dying in the UK. We have significant concerns about the lack of effective legal safeguards that would protect older people from unwarranted harm. The current language in the bill does not protect older people, especially considering the link between frailty and feeling a burden on others.

The Bill repeatedly refers to discussing with patients the available palliative care services, but the scarcity of these services means this is not the reality for the majority of people who die each year.

Everyone should have access to high-quality care and support until the end of their life, but sadly this is not the case currently for many older people. Even at this early stage before the possible change in law, we are already hearing of older people rejecting discussions about their end of life care for fear they will be encouraged to opt for assisted dying.

There is too much at stake to rush through a Bill of this magnitude without detailed scrutiny of its complexities and input from those who will be most affected.”