Northern Health ‘Engaged’ on Doctor Assisted Death Issue
Prince George, B.C. – Has Northern Health developed guidelines to assist its staff when it comes to questions from patients regarding doctor assisted death?
The issue was in the news again recently following the doctor assisted death of a Calgary woman with ALS in Vancouver.
The case forced the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority to produce assisted-dying guidelines for its staff.
Those guidelines advise staff to connect patients with a colleague to discuss each situation along with the options available.
It’s in response to a Supreme Court of Canada decision last year that ruled consenting adults who are enduring intolerable pain or mental suffering have the right to a doctor-assisted suicide.
The federal government has until this June to come up with a law on the matter.
While maintaining this is “a profound issue on which there are deeply held feelings and many different views,” Northern Health spokesperson Jonathon Dyck says they are waiting for direction from senior levels of government before producing guidelines of their own.
“Northern Health is working with the Province of B.C. and other health organizations to engage on the issue to ensure we’re able to move forward once federal and provincial direction is clear,” he says.
“A provincial working group has been set up to facilitate a provincial approach to policy development and to better understand and work through any issues and barriers that must be addressed throughout the implementation process. There is also work underway with the province and the health authorities about the logistical aspects to be considered.”
Comments
this is one topic that the arguments for and against will go on forever….( like abortion). The feelings on this will be extreme for and extreme against.
I think this is an issue that should be handled by the person involved and the doctor.
I also don’t think a doctor should be forced to assist if they against it nor should one doctor have the power to make an individual decision ( unless location dictate they are the only ones around, remote communities)…this could be a consultation process of at least two doctors agreeing.
This shouldn’t be the first option,
but it could be made available as an option.
What are the two doctors agreeing on? That the person has the right to die, that there are better alternatives? What exactly?
I was thinking along the line of ensuring the criteria for doctor assistance was met,
purely as a C.Y.A.
so public can not say the doctor has gone on a killing spree…and there are those who might .
Right, got it. I agree some might make some wild accusations. As you mention, these issues bring the bugs out of the woodwork.
Sad thing is the SOC has really left us with a Catch 22 scenario. You must be able to consent. My problem, is if I get advanced Alzheimer, I want to be put down. But when I have it, I can’t consent, so I can’t be put down. So, my wishes – when competent, can’t be taken into account, when incompetent, and I am compelled to be a burden on society, loved ones, and endure boredom and confusion, because I have lost the ability to consent.
So, if I get early stages Alzheimer, they won’t put me down, with consent, because I’m not suffering intolerably, so, my only option, is a messy self administered suicide.
But in my opinion, this is an economic issue, not a morality issue. Fact is, too many old people needing care, not enough young people to create enough economic resources to provide care, so, the SOC has given us the tool to deal with the economic imbalance.
Funny, I remember watching National Film Board movies in the 70’s as a kid, and one was about the Eskimo (word used at the time) culture, when family members got too old or sick to contribute, they walked out to the ice flows to die. Now with global warming, we don’t even have that option.
These Dr’s do not keep Stats on how many they Kill with Script pads!!
Time is running short for this Gov. to fix….or SCC will fix this for them.
I sure hope those against doctor assisted death do not find themselves rotting away in extreme discomfort waiting for death to take the suffering away like past members of my family. They may have different thoughts then.
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