Respond to Jersey’s assisted dying consultation today
Jersey has launched the second phase of its assisted dying consultation. The Government is asking islanders to share their views and experiences.
Responses to the consultation will be used to shape final proposals for debate by the States Assembly in 2023. Will you take 5 minutes today to write an email to officials about why you support law change?
Respond to the consultationThis is a significant opportunity for your voice to be heard. We know that public support for assisted dying is extremely high with 9 out of 10 islanders supporting law change. But this consultation will give the Government further information about what islanders believe will make an assisted dying law safe, fair, and compassionate.
Using the guidance below, please, take 5 minutes to respond to the consultation demonstrating your support today.
About the consultation
The consultation asks you to email assisteddying@gov.je with your views on assisted dying and any experience. Please keep your email to one page (max.) and remember to be polite, persuasive, and personal. You are welcome to respond however you choose but if you need some ideas to get you started, here are some key points it would be helpful to include:
- Your personal reasons for supporting a change in the law. If you’ve seen a loved one endure a bad death, if you currently have a terminal diagnosis, or would want or need more choice if you were to receive one. It is very persuasive to include your personal experiences.
- You support end-of-life choice, including the legalisation of assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults in their final months of life.
- The current options available for dying people in Jersey to have some control over their deaths are unacceptable. They can travel abroad to die or take matters into their own hands by ending their own life in secret, behind closed doors. This cannot be the best Jersey can offer dying people and their families.
- Assisted dying has a proven track record in other countries that show it is safe, fair, and compassionate. It is legal in other compassionate, democratic countries like Australia and New Zealand. Why should islanders be left behind?
- The right approach for Jersey is to support and fund excellent palliative care but also to give people who face a bad death greater choice at the end of life.
Please email your response with your personal experience and views on assisted dying to assisteddying@gov.je
Respond to the consultation today
You can read the full proposals and more about the process so far on the Jersey Government website.