Cost of Assisted Dying in Scotland Could Be ‘Substantially Higher’ Than Estimates
A recent warning has emerged that the costs associated with introducing assisted dying in Scotland could exceed initial estimates. The Scottish Government has cautioned that certain expenses were either overlooked or underestimated in the financial projections presented with a Bill designed to grant terminally-ill adults in Scotland the option to request assistance in dying.
Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur brought forward a member’s Bill addressing this matter, which is now under scrutiny by Holyrood’s Health Committee before heading to a vote by the Scottish Parliament. Health Secretary Neil Gray has conveyed a response to the committee, affirming the Government’s stance of remaining neutral on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, and indicating that ministers will have a free vote on the issue.
However, the Government has challenged the cost projections outlined in the financial documents accompanying the Bill. These estimates suggested that implementing assisted dying would amount to between £263,434 and £313,882 in the first year, followed by ongoing costs ranging from £23,107 to £35,566 in the second year, and anticipated to rise to between £160,186 and £368,954 after 20 years.
The Government’s memorandum to the Health Committee remarked that the financial papers “estimated that costs will be relatively low, due to the small number of terminally-ill people expected to seek an assisted death”, potentially ranging from about 25 to 400 individuals annually.
The Government has stated, “It is difficult to assess the accuracy of the estimated costs/savings in the financial memorandum, given the uncertainty around the likely number of cases and, in particular, how they will increase over time.”
Furthermore, the memorandum highlighted that the unit costs of staff time were undervalued as they were based on unrealistically low salaries. Additionally, the cost of staff training time was omitted from the calculations, which the Government deemed a significant oversight as most health professionals would require training to process assisted dying requests.
With training estimated to take about a day for each participating health professional, the Government suggested that the actual costs of implementing the Bill could be considerably higher than initially projected.
While maintaining a neutral stance on the Bill, the Scottish Government emphasised the importance of conducting the debate with sensitivity and respect due to the strong emotions involved. The Government assured that they would attentively consider the evidence presented to the committee.
McArthur expressed appreciation for the Scottish Government’s contribution and commitment to allowing a free vote on the Bill while remaining neutral regarding assisted dying. He highlighted the current shortcomings in the laws on assisted dying, which often result in terminally ill individuals facing undignified and sometimes painful deaths despite palliative care efforts.
The Bill aims to provide mentally competent, terminally ill adults with the choice to control the manner and timing of their death, offering an alternative to the current limitations.
As the debate unfolds, it is evident that the financial implications of introducing assisted dying in Scotland are under intense scrutiny, with potential costs exceeding initial estimates. The Scottish Parliament’s decision on this Bill will have far-reaching implications for end-of-life care in the country.