‘Doctors intervene in all life’s stages, so why can’t they use their skills to bring about a peaceful death at life’s end’

• I READ the piece (‘Our aunt should have been able to die with dignity’, say inquest relatives, July 28), about the death of an 83-year old.

Surveys show that a majority of people in the UK would like the choice of having a medically-assisted death if they were suffering greatly at the end of life.

Doctors intervene in all life’s stages, carrying out heart transplants and IVF, so why can’t they use their skills to bring about a peaceful death at life’s end, if it’s the patient’s wish?

Increasing numbers of countries, including in parts of Europe, in USA, Australia and Canada now allow assisted dying for terminally-ill people who request it.

Many of us would enjoy our lives more if we didn’t fear we may one day suffer a long drawn out, painful and undignified death.

We don’t want loved-ones to see us suffering as we want them to have happier memories of us.

A WILLS,
Ruislip