Legalising assisted dying while failing to ensure universal access to high-quality palliative care would create a dangerous imbalance, a North Yorkshire hospice chief has warned.
Tony Collins, chief executive of the Thirsk-based Herriot Hospice Homecare, said fairer funding for the hospice sector was needed following MPs’ decision to progress the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales.
Mr Collins said an increase in statutory funding for palliative care was essential to ensure true choice on assisted dying.
He said hospices across the country were currently chronically unfunded and that freedom when facing a terminal illness was only possible if high-quality palliative care was as equally available as ending one’s life.
“At the centre of all we do at Herriot Hospice Homecare is our commitment to putting people first, respecting their dignity, autonomy and the choices they make at the end of their life.
“We understand that, if the law changes, some individuals with a terminal illness may choose assisted dying. Others will continue to choose high-quality palliative care.
“But choice only exists when both options are truly available to all people. Right now, that isn’t the case.
“Already, 100,000 people across the country are not able to receive the hospice care they need to live with the complex challenges of terminal illness. This is set to rise by over 40 per cent by 2040.
“Despite this growing demand, one in five hospices have already been forced to cut services due to inadequate funding.”
Mr Collins said the charity’s staff delivered expert support in people’s homes on a daily basis and were ready to start caring for patients from the inpatient unit at Herriot Hospice at the Lambert in Thirsk once approval had been given by the Care Quality Commission.
He added: “But without more statutory funding in the future, this simply won’t be sustainable to meet increasing demand.
“As Parliament considers legislation on assisted dying, the principle of freedom is frequently cited. But freedom of choice is only meaningful if people are equally free to access excellent end-of-life care. No one should feel pressured into ending their life because they lack adequate support.
“Legalising assisted dying without ensuring universal access to high-quality palliative care creates a dangerous imbalance. We have a moral duty to ensure that decisions about life and death are grounded in genuine preference not in fear, pain, or a sense of being a burden.”
The government announced a £100m investment for hospices to spend on capital improvements in December last year.
But hospice bosses across the country have urged ministers to find more money to fund day-to-day running costs.
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