B

Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 13 March 2026

Debate

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Contribution

My Lords, I thank my noble friends Lord Jackson and Lady Monckton—whose speech was quite spectacular—for raising the example of DNRs. It is very good example when we are talking about who can raise assisted dying in preliminary discussions. I want to give a very brief illustration. When my father was in hospital, five different medical professionals came into his room and took us, his family, aside, to get him signed up to a DNR. He did not really want that. It might have philosophically been the right medical thing to do, but he was not in the right place. He did not want to be asked, and certainly not five times by five different medical professionals. It left a rather bitter taste in our mouths, because when we were able quietly, as a family, to have that discussion with him, he did have a DNR. We were fortunate to have that time, rather than him having something put at the end of his bed with the Sainsbury’s bag. This group of amendments is really important. They are all similar, saying that we need some guidance on who can raise the discussion and under what circumstances. If we really believe that patient autonomy is important, then something should come from this group of amendments and be in the Bill.

More from Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Con)

Other recent Hansard contributions by the same speaker.

About Hansard

Hansard is the official verbatim record of proceedings in the UK Parliament. Every word spoken in the Commons and Lords is recorded and published — this page is a single contribution from that record.

Partner sites