As a doctor, I say this: before we even consider assisted dying, fix how we care for the most vulnerable | Zubir Ahmed
A person’s wish to die can be shaped by whether they have access to proper palliative care – and in England and Wales, too many do not Zubir Ahmed is a transplant surgeon and former Labour minister As a doctor, I have spent much of my professional life caring for people at some of the most vulnerable moments they will ever face. I have seen the anxiety that surrounds the prospect of dying, and…
When discussing the complex issue of assisted dying, it is crucial to prioritize the provision of adequate palliative care for the most vulnerable individuals, argue Zubir Ahmed, a transplant surgeon and former Labour minister. In England and Wales, numerous patients and families lack access to the necessary care, often resulting in unnecessary suffering.
As a medical professional, Ahmed has witnessed firsthand the anxiety surrounding end-of-life decisions and the desperate desire of patients to alleviate their pain. The desire to avoid needless discomfort is a fundamental concern that should guide our approach to end-of-life care. However, when contemplating the debate on assisted dying, it is essential to question the fundamental nature of the society we are creating.
Introducing a system aimed at assisting individuals in choosing their own time of death, Ahmed contends, should not take precedence over fixing the systems designed to care for those who require it most. The true essence of compassion lies in ensuring that, before we contemplate aiding in the process of dying, we have established a society that provides compassionate and effective care to the most vulnerable members of our community.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
