Labour MP Rosie Cooper has this morning tabled Early Day Motion (EDM) 334 for the right to refuse to administer euthanasia.
The EDM is in response to the fine received by a Catholic care home in Belgium for refusing euthanasia to one of its residents.
Rejection of conscientious objection
The Motion recognises the rejection of conscientious objection as a reason for refusing to administer euthanasia as concerning, and warns that the case in Belgium has serious implications for other care homes.
It recognises that non-state providers opposed to euthanasia account for much of the care given to the elderly in the non-profit sector, and therefore calls the Belgian government to uphold the right of conscientious objection of care homes.
Law restricts refusal of euthanasia requests to individual medical professionals
This Early Day Motion comes as a response to Belgium’s law, which does not allow anyone other than individual medical professionals to refuse euthanasia requests.
St Augustine rest home prevented doctors from giving a lethal injection to Mariette Buntjens, a 74-year-old woman suffering from lung cancer. As a result, the rest home was ordered to pay £6,000.
The EDM notes that this is extremely alarming and wants to prevent other care homes, which provide invaluable support for the elderly, from being forced to close for similar reasons.
Contact your MP
'No to Assisted Suicide', a UK campaign to stop assisted suicide, and pro-life research are calling people to write to their MP encouraging them to sign EDM 334.
In order to keep this issue on the radar in Parliament, it is very important to get it signed by a large group of MPs in the next week.
Please ‘write to your MP’ as soon as possible, as summer recess begins next week. You can find your MPs contact details here.
Related Links:
Belgian care home fined for refusing euthanasia to patient
Early day motion 334: Right to Refuse to Administer Euthanasia (Parliament)
Contact your MP (Parliament)