The final vote on an assisted suicide bill for Scotland is due to take place in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday as a number of medical and religious bodies continue to express deep misgivings or outright opposition.
Just days before the vote, the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland changed its position on Liam McArthur’s assisted suicide bill, going from an officially neutral stance, to opposition.
The organisation had officially maintained a neutral position, but later changed after a number of proposed safeguards, including conscience protections for psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals opposed to assisted suicide, were voted down by MSPs in the amendment stage.
Michael Veitch, policy officer at CARE for Scotland, said the U-turn was "a very significant intervention".
"They are essentially saying the Bill in its current form is unsafe. Given their highly regarded reputation and expertise in this area, how can MSPs now vote for the assisted suicide bill in good conscience?” he said.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland also announced its opposition to the bill in recent days following the removal of vital protections for pharmacists who may wish to conscientiously object.
The final vote is expected to be close, but more MSPs have indicated that they will be voting no.
Last week the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Russell Findlay, said that he could not support the bill despite agreeing with assisted suicide in principle.
Explaining his decision, he outlined two key concerns with the bill, namely the "real risk" of coercion, and the eventual widening of eligibility criteria once the law is changed.
“Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a loving and supportive family. There are already cases in which unscrupulous relatives, or ‘trusted’ medical or legal professionals, exploit elderly people for financial gain.
“And even without any coercion from others, some elderly people may feel pressured to end their lives because they think they have become a ‘burden’ on loved ones," he said.
He went on to say that it was “inevitable" that some people "whose conditions do not qualify for assisted dying as legislated for would take legal action to extend that right to them”.
He continued: “I would be deeply uncomfortable at being responsible for legislation that might end up mutating beyond its original remit to, for example, allowing someone with a mental health condition to compel the state to prematurely end their life.”
Conservative MSP Roz McCall said on X, “As I have made clear in successive reflections on the Assisted Dying Bill. I am not convinced that adequate safeguards exist in the Bill - for that reason I will be voting against.”
SNP MSP Ruth Maguire has also expressed opposition to the bill, saying, “It is clear the legislation, while well-meaning and coming from a place of compassion, simply does not address matters of grave concern to those who will have responsibility for the safe, ethical, and fair delivery of care.”
The Catholic Church in Scotland has been consistently outspoken against the bill, expressing particular dismay that MSPs have failed to include conscience provisions.
The Church has also warned that should the bill become law, Catholic and other faith-based care homes may be legally required to either provide assisted suicide or otherwise close down. Faced with such a choice, many will indeed close, worsening the already inadequate state of palliative care in the country, it warns.
In a statement the Church said, “The Bishops’ Conference urges MSPs to reject the Bill, ensuring that organisations providing critical care services are not forced to decide between acting contrary to their foundational values or closing.”
In a final appeal issued a day before the vote, the Catholic Church warned that legalising assisted suicide would "change healthcare forever" in Scotland, and put doctors and healthcare workers in the position of having to participate in an assisted suicide against their will.
The Church said, "This bill is a serious threat to vulnerable Scots, including the elderly, disabled, those who suffer from poor mental health, and victims of domestic abuse. In a world that often prizes independence, those who are vulnerable can easily feel like a burden.
"An amendment to the bill that would have prevented doctors from being able to raise assisted suicide unprompted with patients, was rejected; a decision that, in one move, dismantles thousands of years of Hippocratic tradition of ‘first do no harm’.
"This decision only adds to already significant concerns expressed by MSPs about the risk of coercion, demonstrating a keen awareness of their responsibility to protect vulnerable people from this threat.
"The crucial conscientious objection clauses that offered protection to doctors have been stripped out of the bill which means MSPs will be asked to vote on an incomplete Bill devoid of a key protection for healthcare workers."
Michael Veitch, policy officer at CARE for Scotland, is also appealing to MSPs to reject what he called "dangerous, divisive and damaging bill".
“There is no doubt that assisted suicide will harm the most vulnerable across Scotland," he said.
“Our history as a nation cries out against this approach. We have a legacy of being caring and compassionate, but assisted suicide is the very opposite.
“We urge MSPs to consider the stakes that are involved."
He continued, “MSPs should listen to the opinions of those who would be most impacted by assisted suicide, including those living with a disability. Their view is clear: this is a dangerous Bill that will make them feel a burden.
“I urge MSPs to shut the door on assisted suicide and focus efforts and energy on improving access to palliative care across Scotland.”
