1. UK
Events
2. Scots Debate Dying
3.
Canadian Conference
4. Nurses
Opposed to Euthanasia
5. Website
6.
Action Points
1.
UK Events
Responding
to our June eNewsletter, many of you are getting into action
by organising awareness-raising events around the UK. We are
pleased to be able to provide high-quality speakers for
these, along with literature and multimedia material. In
addition, we will be posting an advertisement for each
event, as it approaches, on a dedicated
area of our website.
2.
Scots Debate Dying
In
Edinburgh on 3rd October, The Royal College of Physicians of
Edinburgh will be holding a day
conference to debate physician assisted suicide. Quoting from
its flier:
The
College invites you to consider this important and solemn
question in the company of physicians, lawyers, ethicists and
people for whom this is a very personal issue. The conference
will be of interest to healthcare professionals, lawyers,
students in related disciplines and concerned members of the
public.
Vocal
PAS supporter Jeremy Purvis - MSP and Liberal Democrat Shadow
Cabinet Minister - will be speaking in favour of a change of
legalisation. Speaking against him will be the lawyer and Liberal
Democrat life peer, Lord Phillips of Sudbury.
We urge all
our medical members, and others who are eligible and
interested, to attend this event. Make your opinion count.
3.
Canadian Conference
If you are
able to travel much further afield, in late November
the Euthanasia
Prevention Coalition will be hosting a three day
International Symposium in Canada. Care Not Killing will be
present and our campaign director, Dr Peter Saunders, will be
speaking alongside many other influencial anti-assisted- dying
figures.
4.
Nurses Opposed to Euthanasia
Back
at home though, our support base continues to grow as more
individuals and organisations join our Alliance. In particular,
we welcome Nurses
Opposed to Euthanasia, a new voice for nurses who are opposed
to assisted dying.
Nurses Opposed to Euthanasia’s
principal aims are to protect patients from practices aimed at
killing them, and to support the nurses and relatives of those
patients who are under threat of euthanasia.
It aims
to achieve these through education; political and professional
lobbying; and providing a support network for all nurses, allied
professionals and the relatives of patients who have concerns
relating to euthanasia.
Nurse and founder Miss
Teresa Lynch will be speaking about Nurses Opposed to Euthanasia
at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 25th September at 24 Smith Terrace, London.
SW3 4DL
5.
Website
We
continue to be committed to providing an up to date, informative
website. Apart
from a regularly updated home page, the site hosts a wealth of
information about palliative
care and the intricacies of the assisted
dying debate. Do make full use of this excellent
resource.
6.
Action Points
Over
this summer:
• Stay
informed.
Although the Joffe Bill was defeated last year, we expect
further legislation to start making its way through Parliament
soon.
• Speak
up.
As and when media stories break, write to newspapers
and politicians.
Medical members can also write to BMA
News
and the medical journals and magazines.
•
Fundraise.
Last year we achieved so much on a very tight budget. We now need
funds for several new projects. Every donation,
no matter how small, is gratefully received.
•
Organise. Are you
in a position to organise an awareness-raising event? Why not
ring us on 020 7234 9680 or drop us an e-mail
to discuss your ideas and requirements?
Care
Not Killing