The Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel (GMDPP) statement on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill:
The GM Disabled People’s Panel is comprised of 16 organisations led by disabled people, we have a breadth of views across our organisations on Assisted Dying. However on the specific matter of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill we believe now is the wrong time to be supporting such legislation. With ongoing austerity, our Social Care, Social Security, and Healthcare systems are in perpetual crisis with unmet need increasing. Disabled People are not getting the support they need to live. As Covid showed us, medical professionals have a low level of understanding of the realities of disabled people’s lives and we were disproportionately the greatest number of dead from the pandemic. We have also been through two United Nations examinations that have found the UK is committing continued grave and systemic human rights abuses of disabled people. Until we can rely on our needs and Rights being met to thrive in society, the risk from this Bill of coerced euthanasia is too great to accept.
GM Disabled People's Panel 