NUALA Watt (Letters, April 22) is of course entitled to express her fears and opinions but she is not entitled to distort the truth. The Greens do not support assisted suicide, they support assisted dying. There is a subtle difference.

I am a retired nurse who, three-and-a-bit years ago, underwent serious abdominal surgery and, three days post operation, was in such dreadful agony that I was pleading with nurses to let me die.

My pain was alleviated by rendering me unconscious until it abated.

READ MORE: Greens policy on assisted suicide makes disabled people like me less safe

Believe me, if I ever have to choose between such agony only being kept at bay by permanent stupor and ending my existence it will not be a difficult decision to make.

Much of the opposition comes from those who equate quality of life with supposed freedom from pain. It is not. When the day comes that I cannot walk my dogs, watch the birds and read a book I will have no interest in continued existence and pain is not a factor in that.

The trouble is that the law does not permit me to make that choice. The state arrogates to itself the right to decide whether I am so tired of my existence that I wish to end it, but only if I am physically incapable of taking appropriate action myself.

If I am physically capable of committing suicide that same state seems not to be too bothered if I do so but will see me suffer mental anguish if I cannot.

There is nothing in the policy of any party in this country which even hints at, never mind advocates, enforced dying for the physically or mentally disabled. Many, however,support the right of those who are tired of living, subject to safeguards, to be helped to terminate their existence.

Either Nuala Watt has failed to understand the policy or she is following some personal agenda.

Les Hunter
Lanark

DEARIE dearie me, Dr Nuala Watt. Once again the quantum leap from allowing terminally ill people in pain and physical and mental distress to end their lives at a time of their choosing to “Let’s murder all the physically or mentally disabled people Nazi-style” is made. No-one I’ve ever heard or read promoting VOLUNTARY euthanasia has EVER advocated the latter. Equally, I’ve never heard anyone suggesting that anyone enduring a mental or physical disability, should be pressured/persuaded/encouraged to consider assisted suicide.

I fully accept that the stigma and discrimination by pathetically ignorant people which disabled people are often forced to endure is a disgrace, and should initially be dealt with at primary school level, educating children that many people who have “bits missing” or that “don’t work properly” are every bit as important as all the others. Trying to get them to imagine how life would be if THEY were in that situation.

Condemning the terminally ill to a lingering and distressing death for any moral or religious reason is not acceptable in a civilised society. What if the patient’s an atheist? Check out the countries where it’s legal, and see how many disabled people have been “pressurised” into taking their lives.

Barry Stewart
Blantyre

WELL said Dr Watt. The organisation “Dignity in Dying” cites cost of care as one of their arguments for assisted suicide. If that doesn’t sound alarm bells I don’t know what will.

Scott Ina
via thenational.scot

DR Nuala Watt, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us in such a moving and powerful way. I can understand why some disabled people would share your concerns. Actually assisted suicide diminishes us all. I know the Greens have already made many people feel more vulnerable with their support of GRA legislation. There seems to be a culture now where politicians take it upon themselves to dictate to the majority of the population how we must live.

P McDonald
via thenational.scot

NOW that all manifestos have been announced, it’s pleasing to see so many of the Scottish parties recognising the vital role palliative care plays in society, with their pledges to deliver further support to the sector and to provide better support for all those experiencing dying, death and bereavement.

Sadly, all of us will experience this at some point in our lives, which is why people deserve the best possible care and support for them, their family and friends.

Unfortunately, at the moment many miss out on some or all of the care they need. With more and more people projected to be dying every year needing a palliative approach and with increasing levels of complexity, we must plan to make sure we close the care gap before it starts to grow.

Following the launch of Marie Curie’s 2021 Scottish Parliament manifesto earlier this year, we highlighted the need for a new palliative care clinical lead and a national strategy for end-of-life care, and to ensure all carers get the financial support they need.

We have confidence that the next Scottish Government will work towards a Scotland where dying, death and bereavement are talked about openly, where people can plan and discuss their care and preferences, and everyone affected has the best possible end-of-life experience which reflects what is most important to them.

Richard Meade
Head of Policy, Scotland
Marie Curie