Rantzen accused of being ‘disrespectful’ as MPs debate assisted dying bill – UK politics live

About 150 changes have been made to the bill since MPs voted on it last year

The Labour MP Allison Gardner asked Leadbeater about the Royal College of Psychiatrists saying it cannot support the bill in its current form. She said:

The Royal College of Psychiatrists have stated that they do not feel at the moment in time there are sufficient psychiatrists who would be able to deliver that position on such a panel. What response does the member have to that?

There is nothing currently in the bill that would ensure that if the person made another request in the future, the next co-ordinating doctor will be made aware of that doctor’s report. Can she say anything to reassure those of us with concerns that people who are suffering from mental ill health, including depression, may seek assistance repeatedly until they find a doctor who will assess them as eligible?

The bill does allow applicants to shop around for doctors and it strikes me that there is a danger that some doctors will specialise in the provision of that service, who might have an ideological view of this bill, giving it a far greater scope than she intends.

I reject the assertion that patients will shop around, bearing in mind we are talking about dying people, they’re not in a position to start shopping around for services.