British Catholic Hospices Face Closure Following Assisted Suicide Vote
British Catholic hospices and care homes for the elderly face potential closure after the controversial Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was approved at Third Reading in the House of Commons on 20 June, passing by a narrow majority of just 23 votes. This bill, if enacted, would compel Catholic palliative care institutions that refuse to participate in assisted suicide on the basis of Christian teachings to either comply or face closure, raising deep concerns over the protection of institutional conscientious objection.
According to the Catholic Herald, Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool, the lead bishop on life issues, said the bishops were “shocked and disappointed” that MPs voted in favour of the Bill and expressed deep concern about the future of palliative care, “not least because experience suggests that, unless there are explicit protections, hospices may be required to co-operate with assisted suicide.”
“Institutions whose mission has always been to provide compassionate care in sickness or old age, and to provide such care until the end of life, may have no choice, in the face of these demands, but to withdraw from the provision of such care,” stated Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Archbishop Sherrington.
This concern is echoed by Catholic hospices themselves. In its submission to Parliament, St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds stated: “If compliance with assisted dying provision becomes a condition for NHS funding, institutions like St Gemma’s may have no alternative but to cease operations entirely”.
Other religious communities have also voiced deep concern about the bill’s implications.
Among the most pressing legal issues is the creation of a de facto “right” to assisted dying, which would allow individuals who are seriously ill and unable to be moved comfortably to take legal action against a local institution that does not facilitate assisted suicide on its premises.
According to the Catholic Herald, the Government has indicated that a legal challenge against a care home refusing to participate in assisted suicide would likely be successful.
A consequence of the closure of Catholic hospices would be the diminution of high-quality end-of-life care at a time when it is already drastically underfunded.
Sources: Catholic Herald, Catholic Herald, Religion Media Centre
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