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The British Medical Association has called for any future assisted dying legislation in the UK to explicitly protect the rights of doctors and medical students who decline participation on grounds of conscience or professional judgement, saying they should be safeguarded from discrimination, contractual disadvantage, or professional detriment.
The policy was reaffirmed by representatives at the BMA’s Annual Representative Meeting last month, where delegates passed a motion calling for legal protections for healthcare professionals who choose not to take part in assisted dying should the law change. The association also reiterated its neutral position on the central question of whether assisted dying should be legalised.
The motion, proposed by the BMA’s Gateshead Division, states that “any future legislation on assisted dying [must] explicitly protect the rights of medical students and doctors to decline participation on grounds of conscience or professional judgement, ensuring that those who choose not to participate are safeguarded from discrimination, contractual disadvantage, or professional detriment”.
It also says that any practitioner participating in an assisted dying service should undergo specialist training and ongoing professional oversight, while affirming that students and resident doctors “should not be required or expected to participate in assisted dying services”.
The motion further calls for “clear clinical standards, training requirements, and legal and regulatory protections” to safeguard health and social care professionals and students from pressure, coercion, or discrimination related to participation in assisted dying, including “robust protection” for those exercising conscientious objection.
Representatives also voted in favour of provisions stating that any assisted dying service should be separately commissioned rather than forming part of core general practice, and that participation should fall outside consultants’ standard NHS contractual duties. The motion also states that any such service should be separately resourced and should not reduce funding for general practice, mental health, or palliative care services.
Commenting after the vote, BMA medical ethics committee chair Dr. Andrew Green said the organisation would continue to represent doctors’ interests as debates over assisted dying legislation continue.
“The BMA remains neutral to the central question around assisted dying,” Green said.
“That is whether the law should change or not. However, as the voice of doctors, who in turn are advocates for patients, where there are moves to change the law, we will not stay silent on an issue that will significantly impact the profession and those we care for.”
Green said the BMA had already sought changes to proposed legislation in several jurisdictions where assisted dying laws have been under consideration.
“In recent years, where legislation is or was progressing, such as in Scotland, Jersey, the Isle of Man, and England and Wales, we have identified and successfully lobbied on key issues that we believe must be addressed if the law does change,” he said.
“This includes a number of areas covered by these motions, namely that any involvement from doctors in assisted dying should be on an opt-in basis and not a required part of their role.”
He said the association would continue engaging with legislators as proposals return to Parliament.
“As legislation looks to return to Parliament for England and Wales, we will continue to represent doctors to ensure they are supported and protected alongside their patients on such an important issue,” Green said.
Delegates also approved elements of a separate motion calling on the BMA to lobby governments to ensure that any assisted dying legislation does not alter the fundamental principles of the NHS.
The same motion also called for an opt-in model under which no doctor would be required to have any involvement with assisted dying. Representatives further backed proposals requiring resident doctors to be specifically excluded from formal involvement in the assisted dying process, and requiring doctors who participate to undergo specific training and national accreditation.
However, delegates did not support a proposal stating that oversight and regulation of assisted dying should fall under the Ministry of Justice rather than the Department of Health and Social Care.
The BMA is the professional association and trade union representing doctors across the United Kingdom.
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