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The Health Minister has pledged to put forward formal proposals for assisted dying in Jersey by the end of the year following feedback from a public consultation which resulted in almost 1,400 islanders submitting a range of "mixed" opinions on the topic.
Feedback from the consultation, which has been published today, will inform the final set of proposals, which will also include input from specialists with a background in medical ethics and law.
Those proposals will be lodged in December and, if approved, work on drawing a new assisted dying law will start as soon as 2024.
Health Minister Karen Wilson said: “Assisted dying is a sensitive subject on which public and professional opinion is often very divided, as illustrated by the differing views expressed by those who responded to the consultation.
"For this reason, the Council of Ministers has agreed that the proposals considered by the States Assembly later this year should be further informed by specialists with a background in medical ethics and law, who hold a range of views on assisted dying."
Pictured: Minister for Health, Deputy Karen Wilson.
She continued: "This external review will seek to identify the ethical and moral considerations around assisted dying, including those raised in the responses to the consultation.
“As Ministers, we are committed to ensuring that the community and the States Assembly are provided with all the information needed to consider this complex issue.”
The full feedback report can be read here.
Deputy Wilson also outlined the next steps for assisted dying in Jersey.
May 2023 – Proposals to be refined using consultation feedback
lodge proposal June 2023 – Council of Ministers to agree refined proposals
Summer 2023 – Ethics review on proposals undertaken
Autumn 2023 – Proposals to be further refined using ethics review
December 2023 – Lodge proposals for debate
February 2024 – States Assembly debate
March 2024 – Law drafting to begin if proposals approved by States Assembly
Gov needs more time to consider public feedback on assisted dying
EXPLAINED: How assisted dying is proposed to work in Jersey
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