Assisted Dying
Hospice Isle of Man
Position Statement on Voluntary Assisted Dying
Hospice Isle of Man has for 40 years provided specialist palliative care which is considered to be the gold standard health and care model for compassionate, high quality and dignified care at the end of life. It involves a multidisciplinary approach of expert medical and nursing teams, emotional help, social and spiritual support tailored to patient’s needs and wishes. This support is also extended to the family and loved ones.
The care provided often starts from the time of diagnosis and continues through the patient’s illness, with the patient’s wishes at the centre of Hospice care involving them in decisions about their treatments and care available. Many patients find that their remaining time may have a greater quality of life than they might have imagined possible. The Isle of Man Hospice experience to date has been that requests by patients even to discuss artificially hastening their death have been rare.
In providing care at the end of life, and in line with the foundations of the Hospice movement philosophy, we seek to neither hasten nor delay the time of death. This being the case, we would regard it as inappropriate for Hospice to take part in an assisted dying process- or procedure.
Should it become the case that Assisted Dying on the Isle of Man be legalised, our Hospice would respect the freedom of choice of each and every individual and any decision they may reach. Hospice would not refuse to provide excellence in end of life care and / or palliative care to any individual who might elect to pursue Assisted Dying. However, Hospice Isle of Man would not see itself taking part in any process directly linked to an assisted death.
Hospice Isle of Man Board of Governors and staff believe that compassionate, high quality palliative care should be available to all who need it and that the Isle of Man Government should continue to support the availability of Hospice influenced palliative care services provided in the Isle of Man.
John Knight
Chief Executive
Hospice Isle of Man
10/05/2023
