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Assisted Dying Into Next Phase

Friday, 28 April 2023 15:04

Jersey could see assisted dying legislation introduced by 2025, under a timeline set out by the Health Minister.

Nearly 1400 people gave feedback about how they would like assisted dying to look in Jersey.

A consultation ran from October 2022 to January of this year.

The feedback report was supposed to be published in February before being pushed back.

Areas covered include eligibility, age, the chance to appeal, if it should be a public service, and how long people will need to have lived in Jersey.

The feedback report shows that islanders were not the only people to have their say. People from other jurisdictions also told Jersey’s government what they would like to see.

Outlining the next steps, Health Minister Deputy Karen Wilson says assisted dying is a sensitive subject with very divided opinions.

"The Council of Ministers has agreed that the proposals considered by the States Assembly later this year should be further informed by specialists with a background in medical ethics and law, who hold a range of views on assisted dying."

"This external review will seek to identify the ethical and moral considerations around assisted dying, including those raised in the responses to the consultation."

It has nearly been a year and a half since the States agreed in principle to the idea of assisted dying being brought to the island.

The next steps in developing the assisted dying proposals include:

  • May 2023 – Proposals to be refined using consultation feedback;
  • June 2023 – Council of Ministers to agree on refined proposals;
  • Summer 2023 – Ethics review on proposals undertaken;
  • Autumn 2023 – Proposals to be further refined using ethics review;
  • December 2023 – Lodge proposals for debate;
  • February 2024 – States Assembly debate;
  • March 2024 – Law drafting to begin if proposals are approved by States Assembly.

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