Baroness Lawlor (Con)

My Amendment 178A would require that those who are seeking assisted suicide are referred to a consultant physician in palliative medicine, who will assess them fully and draw up a plan for care. The Bill recognises the importance of patients knowing about palliative care and being informed on the choices, but in so weak a manner that these amendments have been tabled. Other noble Lords who have spoken in the group have very good amendments, which I support, to the effect that a patient would be referred to a specialist team in palliative care or a team which is dedicated to the treatment of this problem. I propose that, in the first instance, the patient should see a consultant in palliative medicine, who will, one to one, discuss matters with the patient, assess them and prepare the care plan—not instead of the other people involved in the care team, but as the person responsible for doing that. My experience of medicine in other areas is that that is always the first call; care and treatment are then taken from the consultant physician who is responsible. I say this because other people on a team may lack the detailed knowledge, experience and intellectual rigour of those who have reached the most senior level in their area, and who are responsible for training and leading a team of hospital doctors specialising in their subject. They see many hundreds of end-of-life patients each year. There is also a very good reason to believe that consultants are more likely to be independently minded and beholden to the virtues of their profession rather than the guidance of officials. The amendment would require a full assessment, because only after an assessment can a patient know the options, as other noble Lords have said, and be in the best position to decide. Yes, it might put a strain on palliative care consultants, but in that case we need more such consultants. We should not put the Bill into effect without them. More broadly, my amendment stresses that, as we see in France and as other noble Lords have said, any move to assisted dying needs to be accompanied by more attention and commitment to palliative care.