Assisted dying bill is unsafe, new Archbishop of Canterbury warns

The incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, said the assisted dying bill is unsafe and lacks sufficient safeguards. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed the House of Commons earlier this year and is now being considered in the House of Lords.

Dame Sarah Mullally, who will soon become Archbishop of Canterbury, said the assisted dying bill is not safe. She expressed a principled opposition to assisted dying and referred to her experience as a nurse and former chief nursing officer. She raised concerns that the proposed safeguards are insufficient and that limited access to palliative and social care could affect people’s choices. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed the House of Commons earlier this year and is now under consideration in the House of Lords. What was reported: - Dame Sarah Mullally said she holds a principled view against assisted dying and described the bill as unsafe. - She said the legislation lacks sufficient safeguards and highlighted concerns about underfunded palliative care and social support affecting options for some people. - The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed the House of Commons and has moved to the House of Lords. - Peers have tabled more than 1,000 amendments as part of the Lords' review, and members of the Lords have raised differing concerns about the bill's effects on various groups. Summary: The bill will now be examined in the House of Lords, where many amendments are under consideration and debate is continuing. The final outcome of that review is undetermined at this time.