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Press Release

18th June 2004 - For immediate release:

MENTAL CAPACITY BILL UNDERMINES THE RIGHT TO LIVE

Successive governments in promoting the attack on the rights of elderly and helpless patients have spent time and effort on consultations with interested organisations and then ignored any criticism they did not like.  The "Making Decisions Alliance" are now complaining that there is no provision for advocacy on behalf of people without capacity (though there is a mention of "independent consultees" in extreme circumstances).  They could also complain about more than that.

All-important Codes of Practice will not laid before Parliament until MPs have voted on the Bill.

Proceedings of the new Court of Protection may be secret, as with the old Star Chamber, at the whim of the authorities.

The Bill makes advance refusals of treatment legally binding.  Why are people to be encouraged to refuse treatment if they should need it?  Because there isn't enough to go round, perhaps?

A "pilot scheme" at Hammersmith Hospital gives the impression that old people needing care have become the enemy.  The form handed to elderly people is very eloquent about the horrors of staying alive with the disabilities they can expect but short of detail on the process of dying from dehydration, to which they are invited to give their consent.

The public have some protection from doorstep salesmen but none from "Living Wills" promotions, who are never required to ask prospective customers straight out "Would you like to die of thirst?"

Andy Berry says "We'd like a simple Bill that excludes any excuse for not providing everyone with whatever support and care they need.  Are we ever going to get it?  Let's hope so, one day!"

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