A curious decision by the Royal College of GPs (RCGP). The UK governing council of the group – which represents GPs across Great Britain and Northern Ireland – opted on Friday to change its long-standing policy on assisted dying. It has now shifted to a position of neither supporting nor opposing assisted dying, prompting Kim Leadbeater to hail the decision as ‘welcome’. In a glossy graphic, she added that ‘evidence from other countries where similar legislation has been passed’ suggests ‘more and more health professionals come to support it and participate in it’.
But Mr S is a little confused as to why the College should choose now to perform such a striking volte face. The press release accompanying the findings said that:
The UK Council debate and subsequent decision was informed by an all-member survey that ran between 24 January and 10 February 2025, which received 8,779 responses… The College commissioned Savanta – a third-party independent research agency – to administer the member survey. The survey was in field between 24 January and 10 February 2025.
So what of that survey? It transpires that, among members, there was actually a striking drop – from 40 per cent in a previous 2019 survey to now 33.7 per cent in 2025 – in the number of those who wanted their group to support the legalisation of assisted dying. There was, moreover, a slight increase in the percentage of members who said the RSCP should oppose legalisation from 47 per cent in 2019 to 47.6 per cent now.
Indeed, nearly half Royal College of GP members surveyed wanted the College to remain opposed to assisted suicide (47.6 per cent) rather than support it with strong caveats (33.7 per cent). Yet despite this consistent opposition, the governing council pressed on with its decision.
Still, at least it gives the likes of Kim Leadbeater something to shout about eh?
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