North East Scotland

Dundee City East

These are the specific MSPs that we suggest you contact, but you can deselect any you do not want to email.

At the Health Committee meeting of 20^th January the Cabinet Secretary for Health was unable to give assurances to MSPs that the employment rights of health care professionals in Scotland were to be protected.

It has become clear that the Assisted Dying Bill is currently not within the competence of the Scottish Parliament and significant changes around protections for doctors and other health care professionals will have to be removed from the Bill in order for it to be within the scope of the Parliament.  Neil Gray told MSPs that Holyrood would have no role in scrutinising key safeguards if this Bill passes Stage 3 and instead responsibility would be passed to Westminster to legislate on key employment rights of my local doctor and nurses.

I am sure it concerns you, as it does me, that key safeguards for health care professionals, including conscientious objection, will not be part of the Bill that MSPs are being asked to consider.  A Bill without details on the rights of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and institutions to opt in, or out, of taking part in an assisted death is not a Bill that MSPs should be considering supporting.

The relevant legislation would also come to Westminster after the Scottish election has passed, with no recourse for the new Parliament and no opportunity for MSPs to discuss.  This cannot be a right and proper way for legislation to be fully scrutinised and considered.  Passing such sensitive legislation without knowing what key safeguards will look like is a huge risk. I don’t want my MSP taking such a risk, and would need to think very carefully about voting for somebody who does.

Thank you for your time and ongoing consideration of this matter.

With best wishes,