Eric Kelleher

Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist. Interested in improving outcomes for those at the interface of medicine/psychiatry. Brain/mind. Immunopsychiatry. Views my own.

[Eric Kelleher @kelleher_eric]

CPsychI @IrishPsychiatry presented at the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying this week

We highlighted risks to all patients a change in law poses and especially to those with co-existing physical & mental disorders

We call for investment into Palliative & Mental Health services

[Dan Hitchens @ddhitchens]

Dr Astrid Adams, medical director at a New Zealand hospice, describes some consequences of the AS law since it came into force in 2021:

[Andrew Lawton @AndrewLawton]

Today marks 15 years since the suicide attempt that nearly ended my life. In just 15 months, someone going through the darkness I was back then will be eligible to end their life with MAID. I shared my story in support of Bill C-218, which will stop this and literally save lives.

[Dr Katie Musgrave @dr_musgrave]

I genuinely don’t understand why politicians would meet with a lobby group focussed on ending people’s lives. Why wouldn’t the focus be on delivering the best possible quality palliative care?

Why oh why wouldn’t we do that first? 🤷‍♀️

[Nikki da Costa @nmdacosta]

“Malthouse and his allies thus, having got MPs to vote for the Leadbeater Bill on the basis that it would receive rigorous scrutiny from the peers, have now to persuade the peers to curtail their scrutiny lest they thwart the will of the MPs” @HCH_Hill
https://t.co/hjZ7sV6Nmc

[Nikki da Costa @nmdacosta]

With the removal of the hereditary peers, and the pace at which Labour are appointing peers, they are on track to eliminate all defeats by 2027. Clearly that’s the plan.

I did the calculations 6 months ago. Here’s what I posted on LinkedIn:

The Observer's Whitehall Editor, Cat Neilan, recently cited my analysis for Hogan Lovells, projecting that the UK government could eliminate the risk of defeat in the House of Lords by 2027.

There are no limits on the Prime Minister's appointment powers, and the extent of No. 10's ambitions are unclear. Media and public scrutiny could influence how far things go, but both are currently quite subdued. The Lords’ ability to delay bills provides some leverage, potentially encouraging the government to act reasonably if cooler heads prevail.

Key stats:
* Since the General Election, the government has been defeated 55 times in 119 Lords divisions, consistent with the previous Conservative government’s experience.
* However, defeats are set to reduce significantly from 2026.
* The Hereditary Peers Bill, progressing through the Lords, will remove 88 peers by this session’s end (only 4 are Labour), reducing defeats by 15% and lowering the average majority against the government from 75 to 55.
* The Government has also been steadily increasing the number of Labour peers. There has been a 36 net gain since the General Election (45 new Labour peers but some are replacing retirees etc)
* If appointments continue at this pace in 2025-26, defeats could halve. By 2026-27, they may vanish entirely, reducing the ability of the Lords to ask the Government to 'think again'.

[Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot]

EXC - I've seen a leaked policy document from Labour in opposition which sets out how to approach assisted dying.

The document sets out how it could be introduced as a private member’s bill, suggesting that would still allow “heavy influence” for the government in the process

[Dan Hitchens @ddhitchens]

So far Starmer’s assisted suicide bill has circumvented:

—The electorate (nothing in manifesto)
—Ministers (banned from speaking)
—Experts (excluded by Commons committee)
—MPs (urged to vote yes so Lords could fix it)
—Now Lords (told they are filibustering if they scrutinise)?

[Nikki da Costa @nmdacosta]

Once we cross this bridge there is no going back and what felt impermissible starts being permissible

[Prof Katherine Sleeman @kesleeman]

@danielmgmoylan @HarrietHarman Half of supporters say they would switch to opposition if someone was pressured into assisted death, or if they had an assisted death because they couldn’t access the care they needed.

[Gordon Brown @GordonBrown]

It is not too late to put the brakes on assisted dying, and focus on improved palliative, social and end-of-life care

https://t.co/eKVlyfTxj6

[National Suicide Research Foundation @NSRFIreland]

(1/2) Following a serious accident on July 5th our dear friend & colleague Pawel Hursztyn sustained life-altering injuries, resulting in permanent paralysis from the chest down.

We kindly invite contributions to this important fund & encourage sharing .

https://t.co/nxVloczjwv

[Prof Katherine Sleeman @kesleeman]

“Assisted dying is not about ending lives. In fact, it’s about saving lives.”

The latest Orwellian soundbite, hot off the press from an event at the House of Lords.

Did anyone challenge this statement? Or did they all nod along?

[Niall Stanage @NiallStanage]

The world's foremost association of genocide scholars just passed a resolution on Gaza.

The resolution holds that Israel's actions "meet the legal definition of genocide."

It passed with 86 percent support.

[Deirdre Lang @deirdrelanglang]

@irishgerontsoc letter to the editor @IrishTimes "Where is nursing homes outrage "

[Dr Rachel Clarke @doctor_oxford]

Today @wesstreeting has shared publicly his concerns about yesterday's AD vote. I agree with every word. Each £ of money used to fund dying will be a £ removed from NHS & palliative care - which is already in desperately short supply for terminally ill patients. This is the care that so often helps patients feel life is still worth living. It's so deeply worrying, gnawing at my heart.

[louis appleby @ProfLAppleby]

About understanding how much mental health influences decisions.

How suicide prevention more broadly could be undermined by accepting the suicidal choice.

How the way forward lies in the thing both sides believe in, the best end of life care for all.

[louis appleby @ProfLAppleby]

Opposing the #AssistedDyingBill isn’t being immune to painful patient stories or dismissive of choice.

It’s about social responsibility, our duty to help people through despair. About the value we place on human life.

1/2

[Dr Rachel Clarke @doctor_oxford]

Here is the @rcpsych statement in full:
https://t.co/JrJ4FneOdz.

[Prof. Ronan Collins @ronancollins7]

Don't accept whats been touted on BBC now that 1 /20 die every day with uncontrollable symptoms even though there's good palliative care ! Obviously palliative care not resourced or good enough then&that would not surprise in today's NHS- Assist life not death
#AssistedDyingBill

[Prof Katherine Sleeman @kesleeman]

Ahead of today’s assisted dying Bill debate, I thought I’d do a thread of FALSE FACTS. You know… campaigning soundbites, PR spin. That come up again and again. And are persuasive… but wrong.