Bishop Martin is calling for properly funded end of life care as part of the debate around ensuring a dignified death. He highlights a lack of funding for hospices as a key reason why individuals are not able to have a ‘good’ death and are seeking alternative options.
He said: “Hospice beds are being closed right now in the West Midlands, when the need for them is greater than ever. Hospices provide the highest quality palliative care, as well as Hospice at Home, bereavement services and other community support. However, only 20% of their costs are met by the NHS. Why is that? Why do we spend billions on healthcare, yet expect the dying to find help through charity? In Worcester, St Richard’s Hospice is currently having to make staff redundant. The end result can only mean fewer patients able to benefit from their services, fewer people helped to die well, and more pressure put on hard-pressed GPs and hospitals.”
With the Assisted Dying Bill currently going through Parliament, Bishop Martin is keen that MPs recognise that the route to a dignified death lies in the proper funding of palliative care, investment in mental health services, and the delivery of much-needed community support.
“As I’ve reflected on my own experience sitting with those who are dying, the opinion of medical experts, and international evidence, I have become increasingly uncomfortable with the prospect of legalising assisted suicide. While I am deeply sympathetic to those who are afraid of a bad death, I believe that a good death is possible without taking such a step.
“I remember as a young priest, visiting a terminally ill man in his home. He was in great pain and distress and asking to die. Two days later I came back to find that he had been fitted with a morphine driver. With his pain now under control, and good palliative (end of life) care now in place, he was sitting up talking happily with his wife and grandchildren. All talk of prematurely ending his life had gone.
“I support our Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, who wants us to properly fund end of life care. We already know how to help people to die well. We don’t need parliament to pass a new law to help us to do this. But we do need proper funding!”
