DPP's assisted suicide guidelines

info@dignityindying.org.uk - 020 7479 7730

“As a child there existed in my mind a nagging fear about this thing called death. As I have become older, I want to give an assurance to the people I love that the circumstances of their death will be 'good', to be celebrated, and their final hours will be reflective of life well lived.”Jo Brand, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Being incapable of helping a loved one to die when they are at the end of their life, suffering and asking for help is undignified and wrong, and I know this having witnessed it myself at close hand.”Zoe Wannamaker, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I see it as almost inevitable, that society will become more understanding, and more sophisticated, about assisted dying. As with suicide, it is right to strive to find better options, but when the alternatives have run out it must surely be wrong for society to insist that people suffer.”Nick Ross, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Having seen my father die, it became very clear to me that we as society need to grasp the nettle and deal with this contentious issue in a way that is humane and acceptable to the majority of right thinking people.”Matthew Wright, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I endorse the work of Dignity in Dying because I believe passionately that any individual should have the right to choose, as far as it is possible, the time and the conditions of their death. I think it's time we learned to be as good at dying as we are at living.”Sir Terry Pratchett, Dignity in Dying Patron
“It is because we believe in the dignity and value of life that we hope for a good death. This is what Dignity in Dying hopes to permit and I passionately support its aims. To linger on against my will on a half-life is no life at all.”A.N Wilson, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I support Dignity in Dying because I care about suffering and want the law changed so that those who presently suffer terrible deaths will in future have the option to end their suffering through ending their lives at a time and in the manner of their choice.”Lord Joffe, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My work as a cancer physician inevitably brought me into contact with dying people. I think that assisted dying is an important choice to be offered in the rare situations where doctors are unable to control unbearable symptoms.”Dr Lisa McDonald, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Over many years, I have become convinced of the need for a change in the law to protect people with terminal illness who have made the painful decision to seek help in dying. This is why, once I left government, I joined Dignity in Dying and will go on supporting their campaign until we succeed.”Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Having been a member of Dignity in Dying for thirty years I fully support the campaign to ensure that all people have, what they consider to be, a good death. The option of an assisted death at the end of life would provide the choice and control we all deserve.”Miriam Karlin OBE, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I believe that decisions about the timing and manner of death belong to the individual as a human right. I believe it is wrong to withhold medical methods of terminating life painlessly and swiftly when an individual has a rational and clear-minded sustained wish to end his or her life.”Professor A C Grayling, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My mother, Dr Anne Turner, chose to have an assisted death in 2006 at Dignitas in Zurich. Once my mother had been accepted for an assisted death, she was able to enjoy her life for the remaining time she had, greatly reassured that she would be spared further suffering.”Sophie Pandit, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My wife, Diane Pretty, had the terminal illness motor neurone disease and wanted to receive medical assistance to die with dignity. During the last weeks of her life, Diane was in considerable pain and distress. The very thing she'd fought through the courts to avoid.”Brian Pretty, Dignity in Dying Patron
“As a doctor for over 35 years, I became increasingly aware of the failure of even the best care to deal with the suffering of some patients. The present clinical, ethical, and legal fudge - and a law which is discredited in practice - is dangerous for patients and also for professionals.”Professor Raymond Tallis, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My father, who was suffering from cancer and no longer wished to live, died as he chose: in peace and dignity, with my mother beside him. I passionately hope that, if I too were terminally ill, and was finding life unbearable, I could be allowed to die at a time of my choosing.”Rosemary Brown OBE, Dignity in Dying Patron
“Knowing that most of us, it seems, want the freedom to choose when and how to end our lives so as to avoid, for ourselves and our families, the harrowing consequences of a messy, drawn-out and painful deaths, that choice must be enshrined in a framework of law.”Professor Eric Bolton CB, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I believe that the exercise of free will concerning the end of life, and the timing of the end of life, is an essential human freedom. I believe that while religious dogma may dictate or limit the choice of believers it should not be imposed on others.”Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh, Dignity in Dying Patron
“As someone who helped her son to die when he could no longer face the suffering caused by Huntington's disease, I understand fully the need to have a safe, regulated right to die system that takes the pressure off family. After all, who would let their loved ones die alone?”Heather Pratten, Dignity in Dying Patron
“My brother John Close died with help from Dignitas in May 2003, aged 55. Motor Neurone Disease had robbed John of almost everything which defined him as human, but the knowledge that he would be in control of his death was a source of great comfort to both of us.”Lesley Close, Dignity in Dying Patron
“I wish to be treated as a responsible adult and believe that people should be legally able to register their wish for an assistance with suicide, if needed. I support Dignity in Dying primarily to help change the law on assisted suicide.”Sir Michael Holroyd CBE, Dignity in Dying Patron

DPP's guidelines on assisting someone to die Campaign update

Following Debbie Purdy's legal challenge in the House of Lords, on 23rd September the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) published his interim guidance setting out the circumstances he will consider when deciding whether or not prosecute someone who assists someone to die.

These guidelines do not change the law on assisted dying, but they do clarify the factors the DPP would consider both for and against prosecution. Below are the top line factors set out in the guidelines (note the guidance refers to the "victim" and the "suspect").

The main factors considered against prosecution:

The victim had a clear, settled and informed wish to commit suicide.
The victim indicated unequivocally to the suspect that he or she wished to commit suicide.
The victim asked personally for the assistance of the suspect.
The victim had a terminal illness, a severe and incurable physical disability or a severe degenerative physical condition.
The suspect was wholly motivated by compassion.
The suspect was the spouse, partner or a close relative or a close personal friend of the victim.
The actions of the suspect, although sufficient to come within the definition of the offence, were of only minor assistance or influence.

Some of the main factors considered in favour of prosecution:

The victim was under 18 years of age.
The victim capacity to reach an informed decision was adversely affected by a recognised mental illness or learning difficulty.
The suspect persuaded, pressured or maliciously encouraged the victim to commit suicide.
The suspect was unknown to the victim and assisted by providing specific information (eg via a website or publication) to assist the victim to commit suicide.
The suspect gave assistance to more than one victim who were not known to each other.
The suspect was paid by the victim for their assistance.
The suspect was paid to care for the victim in a care/nursing home.
The suspect was a member of an organisation or group, the principle purpose of which is to provide a physical environment in which to allow another to commit suicide.

The DPP has said "a single factor may be so powerful it outweighs all others".

Public consulation

The public consultation on the guidelines has now closed. Thank you to all those supporters who took the time to submit comments. A copy of our consultation response is available to download here. The final guidelines should be published in March and we will update you with more information on these as it becomes available.

Should you have any further questions on the guidelines, you may find it helpful to take a look at our frequently asked questions section. Alternatively, please do contact us should you have any further questions.