* Yeah: I saw that talk of that, too, Olga. From the little I know of this specific bill, though? It’s aimed at patients with terminal illness and a six month life expectancy: would depression count as terminal? There’s other safeguards in the bill: the Wikipedia entry summarises the main points as originally proposed. A patient:
Must be a resident of England and Wales and registered with a GP for at least a year.
Have mental capacity to make an informed decision free from coercion.
Be expected to die within six months.
Make two independent declarations about their desire to die, which must be witnessed and signed.
Two doctors must be satisfied the person is eligible; with a gap of a week between their assessments.
A High Court judge must hear from one of the doctors and may question the dying person or anyone else involved as they see fit. There is another two week gap after the judge has made their ruling.
The involvement of a High Court Judge§ was removed at the committee stage: I believe it’s been replaced by involvement from social workers.
Enjoy Saint John’s Day! (He says with a straight face … !)
† Hello, Mum! (It was poly-vinyl chloride!)
‡I couldn’t tell you Debbi: but I was getting picky about the question because I knew it would be easy to mix up Columbia Records with the Columbia Record: even though that’s been out of business since the 1980s.
And you’re right about creative technology. Twenty, twenty-five years ago? I’d never imagined sitting in front of a computer, and recording home made videos … in front of a green screen. You need to be a TV company, or a film studio, to shoot green screen footage! There’s probably a version of Moore’s Law that explains that!
§ As I recall, Olga? Sir Terry Pratchett proposed the involvement of a tribunal in his Shaking Hands with Death Dimbleby Lecture, in 2010. So the safeguarding idea’s been around for a while.
Q5) torture victims (It’s a shame to think that he has remained so busy after all these years). I saw a documentary where they followed a person who used the law here, in Spain, and they talked to doctors, to the family, etc... In that case, everybody was in agreement, but it was still a long process, and it seems that many people die while waiting for the thing to go through. It also seems that if the original GP opposes it (not formally, because if a GP says they don't want to take part, the case will go to somebody else, but those who don't say one way or another), or simply doesn't act on the request, it can get blocked and nothing happens. I am pretty sure there is a judge involved in the Spanish case, as well. I think the issue with depression was that people, when they first get the news of a terminal illness, might get depressed and decide they'd rather die and not explore other options. (And, of course, there are the anecdotal cases when doctors get it wrong, and people who were given a few months to live have survived for many years...) I think the safest option is to leave a written living will, to make sure your wishes are followed, to have it registered, and to make sure your relatives know about it, although a lot of people don't feel comfortable talking about such topics. It's never bothered me.
I love it when someone comments. But, having had anonymous comments I feel may be libellous, actionable or just plain offensive, over the years?
I’d appreciate you* leaving your name — with a link to your website or social-media profile†, for preference — before you post a comment.
Should you choose to use a pseudonym/name, I’d appreciate it if that name were to be polite and inoffensive. I’d rather you kept it clean, and relatively grown up. Comments left with a pseudonym will be posted at my discretion: I really prefer a link.
Contentious, actionable or abusive posts left anonymously will not be posted. Nor will comments using offensive pseudonyms or language, or that are abusive of other commenters.
Thank you.
* I know many value their online privacy. I respect that. But hope you respect my wish to see who’s commenting on my blog: and my wish for you to introduce your self to me, and to your fellow commentors.
† Your Facebook, X/Twitter, Blogger, Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn profile are acceptable. I also like seeing folks webpages.
Q1) Britain
ReplyDeleteQ2) beheaded
Q3) St Albans
Q4) Cologne
Q5) torture victims (It’s a shame to think that he has remained so busy after all these years).
I saw a documentary where they followed a person who used the law here, in Spain, and they talked to doctors, to the family, etc... In that case, everybody was in agreement, but it was still a long process, and it seems that many people die while waiting for the thing to go through. It also seems that if the original GP opposes it (not formally, because if a GP says they don't want to take part, the case will go to somebody else, but those who don't say one way or another), or simply doesn't act on the request, it can get blocked and nothing happens. I am pretty sure there is a judge involved in the Spanish case, as well.
I think the issue with depression was that people, when they first get the news of a terminal illness, might get depressed and decide they'd rather die and not explore other options. (And, of course, there are the anecdotal cases when doctors get it wrong, and people who were given a few months to live have survived for many years...)
I think the safest option is to leave a written living will, to make sure your wishes are followed, to have it registered, and to make sure your relatives know about it, although a lot of people don't feel comfortable talking about such topics. It's never bothered me.
1 Britain
ReplyDelete2 Beheaded
3 St Albans
4 Cologne
5 Torture victims
The world is going nuts. I wish it were better.
ReplyDelete1. Britain
2. beheaded
3. St. Albans
4. Cologne
5. torture victims
Speaking of torture ... um ... this has been one tough time ...
*sigh*
Hedge hogs? :) The Saint of Hedge Hogs! Sounds like a short story.