Widow of Scot who ended life at Dignitas calls on medics to end euthanasia opposition

p A widow campaigning for assisted dying to be a data-content-type=news data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/terminally-ill-scots-author-travelling-17388785 target=_blanklegalised/a after her husband travelled Switzerland to end his life has called on medics to end their opposition. /p p Elaine Selley called on the British Medical Association (BMA) to adopt a neutral stance on a data-content-type=news data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/mnd-patient-set-end-life-19393553 target=_blankeuthanasia/a . /p p Her husband a data-content-type=news data-link-tracking=InArticle|Link href=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/mnd-patient-ends-life-swiss-19607532 target=_blankRichard/a died at Dignitas in Zurich on September 6 2019 after battling motor neurone disease for four years. /p pDuring his illness, former head teacher Richard, 65, from Glenalmond, near Perth, had urged MSPs to reform the laws around assisted dying./p pElaine travelled with him to Zurich and believes apos;compassionate and safeapos; laws should be introduced to allow terminally ill people to take control of how their life ends - particularly for those who are unable to travel abroad./p pShe said: quot;Our doctors must be part of that process and help craft compassionate and safe laws that mean that all our dying people, not just those who are financially and physically able to go to Switzerland, can die in dignity./p img src=https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article21588374.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_Motor-Neurone-Disease-sufferer-Richard-Selley.jpg title=Elaine Selley has been an assisted dying campaigner throughout husband Richardapos;s illness data-portal-copyright=Richard Selley p/p pquot;Please vote, if you have not already done so, and please vote to change the outdated position of the BMA to one which allows you as doctors and medical professionals to put the wishes of your dying patients first.quot;/p pA consultation by the British Medical Association (BMA) on the issue closes today./p pThe Scottish Parliament has twice rejected proposed legislation to introduce Assisted Dying over the past decade./p pBut there is growing cross party-support for fresh legislation./p pA letter has been signed by Tory leader Jackson Carlaw and his colleague Michelle Ballantyne./p pNationalists George Adam and Gail Ross added their names, along with Labour politician Mary Fee./p pLiberal Democrats Liam McArthur and Alex Cole-Hamilton have also signed, as well as Greens Patrick Harvie and Alison Johnstone./p pThe letter said: quot;We believe that legislation can be crafted that gives people with a terminal illness the choice at the end of their lives, where they may be facing the prospect of a horrible death in a context where even excellent palliative care can no longer help them, but also contains vitally important safeguards for them and for you./p img src=https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article21588376.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_Elaine-and-Richard-Selley.jpg title=Elaine and Richard Selley data-portal-copyright=Daily Record p/p pquot;When considering this issue again in the future, we need you to be able to contribute your experience and expertise to help us develop the best law possible.quot;/p pThe Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) renewed its opposition to assisted dying recently after a consultation of its members./p