The introduction of assisted dying in the UK could place significant strain on the NHS, hospices, and social care services unless extensive planning, infrastructure, and funding are provided, according to a new report by the Nuffield Trust.
The health think tank, which maintains a neutral stance on whether assisted dying should be legalised, analysed evidence from nine countries where the practice is already permitted. It warns that without sufficient preparation, assisted dying risks becoming “yet another service people struggle to access” due to existing capacity challenges across the healthcare system.
Key Recommendations from the Report
The report highlights several measures that should be prioritised before legalising assisted dying in the UK:
- Allow sufficient preparation time to prevent overwhelming the NHS
- Secure proper funding at the outset and ensure long-term investment
- Establish clear monitoring systems and effective regulation
- Provide appropriate training for healthcare and social care professionals
- Protect the right of healthcare workers to opt out of participation
- Collect data on ethnicity, sex, and region to track potential inequalities
According to the report, policymakers in countries where assisted dying is legal have often underestimated the additional resources required to set up the service and sustain it over time.
Impact on the UK Healthcare System
The report stresses that assisted dying would add to existing pressures on the NHS, hospice care, and social services, warning that organisations will face a substantial task in implementing any new policy effectively.
Currently, legislation on assisted dying is under consideration in Westminster, which would apply to England and Wales, while a separate bill is progressing through Holyrood for Scotland. The report also highlights potential legal challenges arising from inconsistencies across devolved administrations and calls for processes to ensure alignment between the different parts of the UK.
Expert Opinions and Reactions
Sarah Scobie, Deputy Director of Research at the Nuffield Trust, said implementing assisted dying would be complex given current pressures on the healthcare system:
“With assisted dying remaining a contested issue and our health and care systems already under immense strain, introducing a new service will not be straightforward. If parliament chooses to legalise it, there must be a careful balance between ensuring safety and avoiding unnecessary barriers to access.”
Liam McArthur, Liberal Democrat MSP spearheading the Scottish bill, welcomed the report and emphasised the need for compassion and safety:
“At the heart of my bill and the report is the importance of investment in both safety and compassion,” he said.
However, Dr Gordon Macdonald, head of the campaign group Care Not Killing, called for the proposals to be abandoned:
“It is time parliament dropped this dangerous and controversial bill and focused instead on fixing the UK’s broken palliative and social care systems that are failing many vulnerable, elderly, and disabled people,” he said.
Meanwhile, advocacy group Dignity in Dying expressed support for the planned reforms. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the organisation said:
“Three-quarters of the public support an assisted dying law for the terminally ill, and parliament is finally catching up with public opinion.”
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