Outsourcing assisted suicide to private companies has been condemned as “a nightmare waiting to happen” and warned it could become a “lucrative money-making enterprise”.
Ministers have “no in-principle objection” to offering assisted suicide contracts to private firms to ease pressure on the NHS, if the Leadbeater Bill becomes law, according to The Times. The Times reported that a model similar to that found in dentistry, whereby both NHS patients and private patients would be offered treatment in clinics, is being considered.
The Times report sparked immediate concern amongst critics since private companies could make significant amounts of money from offering the procedure. Kevin Yuill, Interim Director of Humanists Against Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia (HAASE), said “Opening the door to profiteering from suicide is a nightmare waiting to happen”.
“Introducing profit into the already thorny issue of ‘assisted dying’ throws up a number of important and uncomfortable questions. Will private healthcare providers like Serco, Capita or Virgin Care be involved? Will providers be paid per body? How much will they be paid?”, he added.
Assisted suicide could become a “lucrative money-making enterprise”.
Danny Kruger MP, one of the most prominent voices against the proposed legislation, underlined the dangers of offering assisted suicide contracts to private companies during public scrutiny of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Kruger said “The opportunity is there in the Bill for private businesses to be established to deliver assisted dying services. Indeed, it would be quite a lucrative money-making enterprise”.
Estimating there would be “between 5,000 and 17,000 assisted deaths per year”, Kruger proposed if the charges employed by Dignitas are used a cost “in the region of £5,000 to £10,000 per patient.”
He commented “Even a small proportion of that would be significant – a multimillion-pound business would be possible under the Bill”, adding that advertising for the service would also be possible.
Plan condemned as “the worst of all worlds”
Journalist James Ball pointed out the dangers of opting for a system of being “paid per procedure”, posting on X “When NHS procedures are contracted out to private business they’re paid per procedure – “payment by results”. That’s uncontroversial for NHS managed referrals for hip operations. For assisted dying, especially if the NHS isn’t doing the assessment, it’s a very different thing…”.
Professor Katherine Sleeman, a specialist in palliative care, also posted on X “Why does ‘paid for by the NHS but delivered by private providers’ feel like the worst of all worlds?”.
Nikki Da Costa, former Director of Legislative Affairs at 10 Downing Street, echoed Danny Kruger in registering her concerns about the lack of accountability for private providers, posting on X “There is no regulator, no licensing requirement, no duties private providers would have to comply with. The bill is utterly silent on absolutely essential issues”.
Amanda Hunter, co-founder of Unlock Care Homes, expressed disbelief at the privatisation proposals, posting on X “As for the suggestion that it should be outsourced to private en[t]erprise, are you out of your minds?”.
“It would be ethically, morally, economically, and practically unthinkable to outsource assisted suicide facilitation to private enterprise”.
“Sickening” proposals blasted
Yuan Yi Zhu, an Assistant Professor of International Relations and International Law at Leiden University, referring to the experience of Canada. He said “In Canada, there are doctors whose main source of income comes from killing their patients”.
He added “While most Canadian doctors recoil at becoming involved in these activities, a very small minority happily specialise in it”, mentioning controversial euthanasia doctor, Ellen Wiebe, who has personally administered euthanasia to over 400 patients.
Referring to such doctors, Zhu warned “Some have been accused of cutting corners, such as approving requests to die after a single telephone call – time is money, after all. Dr Wiebe herself is currently the subject of two civil lawsuits: one alleging wrongful death for a man who did not qualify for euthanasia under Canadian law, the other claiming that Wiebe “negligently approved the procedure for a patient who does not legally qualify” after one Zoom meeting”.
The Times reported Kim Leadbeater insisted assisted suicide should be available for free at the point of use on the NHS and would limit private providers to making a “reasonable” profit.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “It is sickening that a private enterprise could, under the protection of the state, legally run an assisted suicide service and make significant amounts of money”.
“Given the significant proposed costs in assisted suicide mentioned by Danny Kruger, it is not difficult to envisage a scenario where private companies cut corners and ignore key guidelines as they chase greater financial gains”.
“MPs must be alert to this and other dangers contained in this disastrous Bill and vote against it at Third Reading”.
