The Government Treasury has requested that a committee meeting for the allocation of £1 million
for the provision, care and assistance for the terminally ill be set up. You are each a member of
this committee representing various interest groups, with different ideas on how the funds should
be allocated. A list of your viewpoints, motivations and costing briefs are contained within the
information below. You must try and convince the other committee members to allocate you the
money. As a group, you must then write a letter to the treasury committee with a full breakdown of
how the money will be spent.
Committee Member 1 – Dr. Brian Naysmith Head of the HMUK – The Hospice Movement UK.
● Promotes and believes in the idea of Hospices as the primary care for the terminally ill.
● As Hospices in the UK are oversubscribed, you would like to see all of the money allocated
to increase the number of potential patients cared for from 10,000 to 25,000 per year.
● A new, fully resourced and staffed facility catering for 7,500 in and out patients each year
would cost £400,000.
● In addition to two of these facilities being built, you would like to see £100,000 spent on
advertising the Hospice Movement and £100,000 spent on research and development into
how to make terminally ill patients most comfortable.
Committee Member 2 – Susan Hare – President of Voluntary Euthanasia Society
● As a campaigner for a person's right to die, you believe strongly that Euthanasia should be
legalised and should mirror the Swiss system.
● You believe that were it to be made legal, up to 23,000 people each year, who are suffering
in unbearable pain and are terminally ill, would be able to peacefully and painlessly end
their life.
● As the first step, you feel Euthanasia should be legalised, a legal process which is likely to
cost around £150,000.
● You also believe that the correct training should be offered to doctor's tasked with caring for
those who wish to die so as to make to process as smooth and comfortable as possible.
This will cost around £325,000.
● An advertising and lobbying campaign, seen as essential in making the public aware of this
new provision, will cost a further £75,000.
● Finally, you are requesting that £350,000 be spent on equipping a London and a
Birmingham hospital with Euthanasia wards.
● The rest of the money should be reserved for the wages of those police officers who must
be present at the death.
Committee Member 3 – Dr. Sandeep Parshan – Representative of the Organisation of Doctors
and Physicians.
● You represent a range of doctor's some for and some against Euthanasia, but who are all
guided by Hypocratic oath.
● Your main belief is that doctors should not be asked to do something they are not
comfortable with and you must also represent the range of beliefs within your interest
group.
● You see Hospices as a waste of money and believe that more money should be allocated
to care for the terminally ill in hospitals.
● You believe that £250,000 should be spent on a widespread public survey, to ensure that
any decision made is in the public interest.
● You also believe that hospital care for the terminally ill should be improved, costing around
£250,000.
● Finally, you feel that the bulk of the money, £500,000 should go to further research into
possible cures for terminal illnesses.
Committee Member 4 – Bishop Stephen O'Reilly – Head of the Christian Dignity in Dying Group.
● As a Christian, your belief is that life is sacred and that only God should choose when life
ends.
● You agree that patients should be made to feel as comfortable as possible but believe that
Euthanasia should remain illegal and constraints should be placed on those travelling
abroad for this purpose.
● Firstly, you think that £200,000 should be spent on tightening legal controls on people
leaving the country for this reason.
● You feel that Christian organizations that aim to care for the terminally ill in the comfort of
their own home and in care homes, should be funded to increase the care capacity to
around 30,000 people a year. This would be to the tune of £600,000.
● Finally, you believe that £200,000 should be dedicated to a public information campaign,
designed at emphasising the danger in legalising Euthanasia.
Committee Member 5 – Karen Hill – Mother of Kieran Hill who died painfully of motor neuron
disease.
● Strongly for legalizing Euthanasia.
● Your son died in pain as he was not allowed assistance to end his life.
● You have nothing ideologically against hospices, however this dignity in dying act is all
about the individual’s right to die.
● If you individual is unable to communicate, you think it is right for the family to have the
decision.
● You think that £400,000 should go towards legal costs involved in legalizing all Euthanasia
and then advertising this.
● You then think £600,000 should be used to build two ‘Euthanasia Wards’ in London and
Birmingham.