Conservative MP Dr Luke Evans supporting the bill: “Today's debate is not about whether we support palliative care, it is about what happens when palliative care doesn't work or can't work. The truth is palliative care has limits.”
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Exactly. Govt should make pallative care world class then this bill will not be needed to be used as much.
Try pallstive care but if not working consider assisted dying if thats ur choice
I thought Dr Evan’s speech was the pick of the bunch. It’s been a very enlightening debate which is not always the case. I hope the Bill gets its 3rd reading 🤞
A friend of mine was head of Johns Hopkins geriatric center. I'll never forget him saying, "We can prolong quantify of life almost indefinitely... but often there is simply no quality." I think he would have voted for the motion.
And, if we choose not to fund palliative care, then those limits will be at completely inadequate levels. If, however, we choose to actually fund, then those limits will be massively better.
Clearly I wouldn't disagree with that. My point was that very large numbers of people are currently missing out on the right care at end of life because of lack of funding.
I'm not sure about that. There are definitely clinical limits with pain relief. Sometimes max doses of strong painkillers don't cut it. In addition I believe palliative care has limits when it comes to distressing loss of bodily functions eg with diseases like MND. Expert input needed!
Thanks Rebecca. Totally agree - I said 'primarily' for that reason. I don't dispute there are clinical limits (Hospice UK is on record making that point).
Is that why the Tories spent 17 years underfunding the service? It's not just about the end, it's about how people are treated throughout their terminal illness. It about the fact that in some areas there is hardly any palliative care which works for people. That is a failing of government.
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'assisted dying' does that much faster.
A sudden, massive increase fast.
The only difference I see is 'timescale' - and a convenient reduction in the cost of caring for the very ill.
... but that's not how it's being sold.
Try pallstive care but if not working consider assisted dying if thats ur choice