ITV Channel reporter Fred Dimbley has been looking at the details and getting reactions from those who would be affected.
A proposition to introduce assisted dying in Jersey has been lodged by the Council of Ministers.
It argues assisted dying should be legalised on the island, as long as “essential provisions and safeguards” are met.
To meet these requirements, the person must:
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Be aged 18 or over at the point they make a first formal request for an assisted death
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Be resident in Jersey for a period of at least 12 months before requesting the procedure
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Have a voluntary, clear, settled and informed wish to end their own life
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Have the capacity to make the decision to end their own life.
Crucially, the individual also has to meet certain medical requirements – the plans include two ways of defining what this will mean.
In the proposals, they are known as route 1 and route 2.
Route 1 would allow for assisted dying when the individual has been diagnosed with a terminal physical illness, which is likely to cause their death within six months or 12 months in the case of neurodegenerative conditions.
However, if the person does not meet the requirements for route 1, route 2 would allow for assisted dying if they have an incurable physical condition that is giving rise to “unbearable suffering” that cannot be improved in a “tolerable” way.
The distinction between route 1 and 2 is that a individual does not have to have a terminal illness in the latter, along with a life expectancy of six months, or twelve months in the case of neurodegenerative conditions.
The proposition also stresses that no islander would be legally bound to participate in the provision of assisted dying.
It also underlines the importance of a minimum timeframe between the moment an individual requests an assisted death, and the actual day of death.
According to the proposals, it is difficult to accurately estimate the number of assisted deaths there would be in Jersey if the plans were passed.
Instead, it looks to other jurisdictions to make very broad comparisons, and stresses that these should be “regarded with caution”.
For example, in the state of Oregon in the United States, 0.6% of deaths are assisted which would equate to 6 per year in Jersey.
Whereas in Canada, 4.1% of deaths are assisted which would equate to 38 annually on the island.
Politicians will debate the plans on 21 May – islanders will be able to learn more at public sessions on 26 March in St Paul’s Centre and 2 May in St Clement’s Parish Hall.