from The Christian Institute
Funding the deaths of thousands by assisted suicide could save the NHS millions of pounds, an impact assessment has predicted.
A Government appraisal of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill estimates that within ten years of it coming into effect, there will be between 1,042 to 4,559 assisted suicides in England and Wales, saving the NHS up to £59.6m per year in “unutilised healthcare”.
In its current form, Kim Leadbeater’s controversial Bill would allow patients deemed to be terminally ill and with less than six months to live, to receive help to kill themselves. MPs are set to debate her proposals again on 16 May, and the Bill could face its final vote in the House of Commons on the same day.
‘Unutilised care
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)-led assessment reasoned that if the “process takes 2 months from preliminary discussion to assisted death, and that the individual would otherwise have lived for 6 months, then there would be up to 4 months of unutilised care”.
It reported that estimated savings of between £5.84m to £59.6m by year ten would come from a reduction in ambulance costs, A&E visits, hospital stays, outpatient visits, GP appointments, and home visits, out-of-hours care, hospice costs and money spent on medication.
The DHSC acknowledged that “some terminally ill adults in the final 6 months of life may have greater palliative care needs than others. The costs may therefore be an underestimate”.
Read also: NHS plans ‘unthinkable’ cuts to balance books, BBC