Hospices and end-of-life care professionals will face “huge implications” and “seismic change” after the assisted dying Bill cleared the House of Commons, leading organisations have warned.
MPs voted 314 to 291 in favour of the legislation, which would allow terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of under six months to end their lives, at third reading on Friday.
Despite warnings from opponents around the safety of a Bill they argued has been rushed through, the Bill will now move to the House of Lords for further debate and scrutiny.
Both Houses must agree the final text of the Bill before it can be signed into law.
Reacting to the vote, Jan Noble, interim chief executive of St Christopher’s Hospice, said: “Today’s vote to pass the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has huge implications for hospices and end-of-life care professionals.
“It is vital that the Government now provides assurance that the impact on hospices will be properly considered and that high-quality end-of-life care is made available to everyone across the country, and for that we need a better funding model for hospices.
“Our position on any change of law remains neutral but as the home of the modern hospice movement we’re committed to providing expertise and evidence to policymakers and we’re now urging the House of Lords to carefully consider the complex views of the public, particularly those with experience of health inequalities.
“We recognise this may be a difficult moment for many of those working in hospice and end-of-life care, as well as the wider health and social care sector.
“We are now looking to both the Government and the House of Lords for further reassurances that they will address the concerns raised by multiple professionals’ bodies.”
Toby Porter, chief executive of Hospice UK, said the vote represented “a seismic change for end-of-life care in England and Wales” and the introduction of assisted dying would have “a huge impact” on hospices.
He said: “Already, too many people don’t get the care they need at the end of their lives. Today’s decision brings the urgency to improve palliative care into even sharper focus, particularly for the most vulnerable members of society.
“Should the Bill become law, the Government has four years to bring about a transformation in palliative and end-of-life care.
“Nobody should ever feel that they have to choose an assisted death because they fear they won’t get the care and support they need. As it stands, we are concerned this could become the case.
“The Bill does not detail where assisted dying will take place, or to what extent hospices will be involved. This leaves many unanswered questions for hospices, who are already under immense pressure.”
Mr Porter added that Hospice UK also remained neutral on the principle of assisted dying but would work with other hospices and the Government “to navigate the many operational challenges it poses”.
An amendment to the Bill requiring ministers to report within a year of its passing on how assisted dying could affect palliative care was also approved by MPs ahead of Friday’s vote.
James Sanderson, chief executive of palliative care and bereavement charity Sue Ryder, said: “We all care about how and where we will die and this review is a vital step in making sure everyone gets the care they need at the end of their life.
“Sue Ryder maintains a neutral position on assisted dying, but we are concerned that gaps in care could be leaving some people feeling it’s their only option.
“Our research found that 77% of people felt that terminally ill people could be forced to consider an assisted death because the end-of-life care they need isn’t available. That must change – no matter how the Bill progresses in its next stages through the House of Lords.
“We are calling for the Government to back our plan for a new ecosystem for palliative care that would mean more people can die with the care and the dignity they deserve.”
Marie Curie welcomed the amendment, but warned that “this will not on its own make the improvements needed to guarantee everyone is able to access the palliative care they need”.
