Assisted Dying Bill [HL]

Baroness Garden of Frognal Excerpts

Friday 16th January 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)]

My Lords, I shall speak briefly to my Amendment 13A but I also have other amendments in this group. If I am procedurally correct, I should address only Amendment 13A at the moment and address the other amendments in the group afterwards. I am looking for confirmation from the Minister that that is correct.

[Baroness Garden of Frognal (LD)]

The noble Baroness may speak to all the amendments in the group.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff]

Thank you. I apologise for requiring clarification on that. I did not want to make things difficult for the Committee.

I tabled Amendment 13A because, as has been alluded to, doctors can be registered with the General Medical Council but not licensed to practise. To be licensed to practise means that one has been revalidated after an annual appraisal, and may maintain one’s clinical professional competencies. However, that is not enough for a matter of this gravity. One does not want decisions to be taken by doctors who perhaps are still in training, or not in a specialty but doing sessions in it, or whatever. The additional requirement should be that they have completed their training and therefore be on the general practice register or the specialist register, which would mean that they are recognised as having completed their specialist training and would be able to apply for a consultant post.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Berkeley of Knighton]

My Lords—

[Baroness Garden of Frognal]

My Lords, the noble Baronesses, Lady Campbell, Lady Grey-Thompson and Lady Brinton, have been trying to speak for a while. I wonder if your Lordships would feel it appropriate if we heard from them now.

[Noble Lords]

Hear, hear.