"Right to die": Sensitivity and humility are needed when dealing with dying people

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7504.1388-a

BMJ 2005;330:1388 (11 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7504.1388-a

Letter

"Right to die"

Sensitivity and humility are needed when dealing with dying people

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—My many years' experience of caring for dying people—Iwas medical officer to a small hospice in the early days ofthe hospice movement, and for 12 years a consultant geriatricianwith a special interest in palliative care—have led meto believe that sometimes it is wrong to encourage or help peopleto hang on to life until the last moment—there are worsethings than death. I agree with Grayling's assertion that peoplehave the right to decide when and how they die.¹

Their lives and their bodies belong to them, not to the medicalstaff or even to their relatives. Too often medical and nursingstaff have tended to take over patients' bodies, as though theyowned them and knew what was right for them. We must learn tobe less arrogant and less controlling as a profession and allowpatients more autonomy. This is happening in . . . [Full text of this article]

Lesley A M Evans, former consultant geriatrician

Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, Somerset les3doc@aol.com