Assisted dying should be a right – not a crime | Letters
Barbara Bell writes about the suffering of patients she has cared for, and Nick Anderson says choice is key, but Nozmul Hussain says there would be unwanted consequences
The most important decision we all have to make in life, to die without having suffering and mental torment forced on us by politicians or religious zealots, is again threatened. Polly Toynbee’s article is excellent (Today, 17 people will likely die in unimaginable pain. Here’s how you can help stop that, 19 January).
I spent the whole of my 50-year career in nursing, the first 20 years in the UK. In my career as a critical care/intensive care nurse, I often cared for individuals who could not live free from pain and suffering, often requiring an artificial ventilator or pharmacological support in order to survive even for a short period of time.