Lady Ilora Finlay, euthanasia, etc.
- December 10th, 2008
- Posted in Politics & Culture
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The news is all in a tizzy today about the fact that a documentary featuring an assisted suicide is airing on Sky Real Lives tonight, and various anti-euthanasia pundits have been trotted out to do interviews during the course of the day. Many of their objections were ludicrous.
Dr Peter Saunders thought we might “start to believe in a story that there is such a thing as a life not worth living”, which sounds like nonsense to me. If I’m a 12 year old Tutsi girl with nothing to look forward to but my tits and feet being hacked off before I’m raped to death, well, I’m pretty sure I’d take a cyanide capsule if I had it. Sometimes there’s just no possibility of hope or joy left in life. Ask anyone who’s ever lived in Doncaster.
The worst was hearing the normally smart and compassionate Lady Ilora Finlay, who today, unfortunately, was merely compassionate. She said “This programme is broadcasting something which is very private, which is someone dying and which is illegal in this country”.
When I first heard Lady Finlay’s comments on The Today Show they were bracketed by recorded opinions from the suicide in question, Craig Ewert, and his wife Mary. Both were, if not enthusiastic, then stoic and sure about their desire to see the details of assisted suicide in the public domain. Lady Finlay seems to think she’s a better judge of what should remain private in their lives than they are.
She also objected on the grounds that the documentary was showing something “illegal in this country”. This in spite of the fact that documentaries featuring illegal activities (both in the UK and abroad) are ten a penny. I don’t recall hearing Lady Finlay sound off when “A Very British Gangster” was aired, or about the constant reruns of “Police, Camera, Action” and “America’s Drunkest Cops” for that matter.
All a bit of a storm in a teacup really, but I’m surprised the anti-euthanasia contingent couldn’t come up with anything better. The argument against could be pretty much summed up as “we don’t like it”, which is a shame because it’s a big enough subject to have a proper debate about.
I doubt that argument will happen in my lifetime though. It strikes me as being like the debate over decriminalisation of cannabis and other soft drugs: something 80% of people think makes sense but no politician could consider because 20% of the remaining 20% would start a fucking civil war.
I don’t know about the rest but Ilora is a lovely name.
LCP v. Euthanasia? Palliative Care needs treatment!
Nearly 4 years after the death of Thomas Milner 11/1/06, Case No. 6 – Patients Association Report and the truth is still being with held!
see http://www.tomsanguish.com for full details of shambolic NHS practices regarding End of Life and Palliative Care afforded to Tom.
The NHS continue the mistreatment of Thomas Milner which has now been transferred to his family. The NHS personally attacked the family in derogatory comments made post mortem in the medical notes while trying to detract from the gross errors that they made. The NHS have continued to detract and avoid the truth while corresponding with the family and depicting care and medication administration incorrectly v. evidence in the medical notes.
Finally in September 2009 another letter arrived from the Sheffield Teaching Hospital Trust written by Sir Andrew Cash OBE. In this letter Sir Andrew lists time of set up and refill of Thomas Milner’s morphine syringe driver.
These times are INCORRECT v. the evidence of the medical notes.
The Palliative Care Consultant did not increase the terminal pain control and left the syringe driver holding just 10mgs. morphine for 55 hours.
The Healthcare Commission Reported that ‘the amount in the syringe driver 10mgs. was low in the circumstances’ and made recommendations for the Sheffield Hospital Trust to implement in the future.
Not withstanding statements made to the press by the Sheffield Hospital Trust about how ‘care was appropriate’. Janet Brooks daughter of Tom received an email from Christine Beasley, Chief Nursing Officer to say ‘I am sorry that your father did not receive an appropriate level of care at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital’.
We the family of Thomas Milner are still awaiting a reply from Sir Andrew Cash OBE, about his erroneous letter. A copy of our letter to Sir Andrew has been delivered by registered post to Gordon Brown P.M., Andy Burnham M.P., Christine Beasley, CNO, Liam Donaldson CMO, David Willetts our M.P., Lady Finlay of Llandaff, advocate for good Palliative Care, Lord Joffe and Lord Turnbull who are interested in End of Life Care matters.
You, me and us all pay for this NHS service. We all may need this service in the future.
God help us all and shame on them.