As the UK takes a step closer to legalising assisted dying, the Health Secretary is raising concerns about what that could mean for the country’s already-stretched healthcare system.
Wes Streeting, who leads the Department of Health, is worried that the money and time required to set up such a service might pull crucial resources away from helping people who are still fighting to live.
Streeting Warns of Difficult Trade-Offs for the NHS
Wes Streeting hasn’t shied away from his position — he opposed the assisted dying bill that recently passed in the House of Commons.
And now, he’s explaining why. In a post on his Facebook page, he said launching the new system would take significant time and funding, resources he believes should be used to improve end-of-life care instead.
He argued that terminally ill patients shouldn’t be made to feel like assisted death is their only option.
According to Streeting, “Politics is about prioritising,” and he worries that this decision sends the wrong message about where the NHS should be focused.
Concerns from Medical and Charity Groups
Streeting pointed out that several major medical organisations — including the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of Physicians, and Association for Palliative Medicine — have expressed unease about the bill.
Charities that work with vulnerable communities have echoed those concerns.
The Health Secretary also referenced a warning from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Brown highlighted that people don’t truly have a choice if they lack access to high-quality palliative care or feel pressured to ease the burden on their families.
What Happens Next in Parliament?
Although MPs narrowly passed the bill — with a slim majority of 23 votes — it now faces a challenging path through the House of Lords.
It’s possible the Lords could demand significant changes or even block it altogether.
Streeting clarified that the government remains officially neutral on the legislation, which is called the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
Still, he said his department will work “constructively” with Parliament as the Lords examine the bill further.
Dame Esther Rantzen Weighs In
Assisted dying advocate Dame Esther Rantzen, who is battling terminal cancer, recently urged the Lords not to interfere with what she sees as a vital law for terminally ill patients.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, she said their role should be to scrutinise the bill, not to derail it.
“I don’t need to teach the House of Lords how to do their job,” she said. “Their duty is to make sure that law is created by the elected chamber.”
Rantzen, who turns 85 this weekend, admitted the bill likely won’t be passed in time to benefit her.
Instead, she may have to travel to Switzerland to access the assisted dying clinic Dignitas.
Lords Call for Stronger Safeguards
Members of the House of Lords are already preparing for a deep examination of the bill.
Paralympian and independent peer Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson suggested more protective measures need to be added, saying the legislation isn’t as robust as claimed.
“It’s not a very high bar,” she said on BBC Breakfast.
“I think there are a lot more safeguards that could be put in.”
Peers Promise Close Scrutiny, Not a Blockade
Conservative peer Lord Shinkwin echoed the importance of careful review.
While he doesn’t support blocking the bill entirely, he believes the Lords must hold it to account — especially on how it protects vulnerable groups, including disabled and elderly people.
“The margin was so close,” he said, “that many MPs would appreciate the opportunity to look at this again.”
Will It Run Out of Time?
Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who guided the bill through the Commons, hopes the Lords won’t delay things so much that the bill misses its chance entirely.
“I would be upset to think that anybody was playing games with such an important and emotional issue,” she said.
With time ticking and opinions sharply divided, the future of assisted dying legislation in the UK remains uncertain — and incredibly emotional.