B

Baroness O'Loan (CB)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 23 January 2026

Debate

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Contribution

Can I ask a question before the noble Lord sits down—eventually? There is a clause—I apologise, but I cannot remember which one it is—that says that if the patient cannot administer, push or whatever the substance, then the doctor can assist. If the patient comes around and is fitting, and has said that they want to die, is the doctor supposed to put their thumb on the switch or whatever it is and push it to make them take it themselves? It seems so uncertain what the obligation of the doctor is. For the people watching outside, this must be horrific. We are thinking about people coming round—we know there is a significant risk of them coming around—and we are not telling doctors in the Bill what they are required to do.

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