The Regional Palliative Medicine (RPMG) Assisted Dying Survey 2024

Assisted Dying (AD), the ending of a person’s life pre-emptively under a legal criterion is widely debated, both in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. The expectation is often those doctors closest to dying would be both the proponents and facilitators of this action. A survey of Palliative Medicine in Northern Ireland (NI) on this topic has never been previously undertaken. The Regional Palliative Medicine Group (RPMG) a representative body of all the Palliative Medicine Consultants in NI organised an anonymous ‘Google Forms’ survey on AD from 3/6/24 to 17/6/24 of all doctors of all grades working within Specialist Palliative Medicine at the time. The survey had a 69% response rate (56/81) demonstrating 80% of all responding doctors working within Palliative Medicine and 100% of responding Palliative Medicine Consultants and Registrars in Northern Ireland do not favour a change in legislation allowing for AD. 91% (n=51) have concerns that AD will be influenced by a lack of availability of personal care at home. 93% (n=52) are concerned that AD will be influenced by cost-saving for the patient and their family and 82% (n=46) are concerned that AD will be influenced by cost savings for health and social care. 98% (n=55) stated if AD is legalised it should not be ‘part of mainstream healthcare’ with 45% (n=25) saying it should be ‘via the legal system’ and 46% (n=26) saying ‘via a separate independent facility’. 53% (n=28) ‘would not’ and 40% (n=21) ‘don’t know’, if they could remain working for an organisation that undertakes AD. These results clearly show that Palliative Medicine in Northern Ireland will not be part of an AD service model. The question is who will be? Healthcare leaders now need to support their Palliative Medicine workforce by stating there will be AD-free healthcare facilities if AD is legalised.