The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

An amendment to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill proposes that eligibility should depend on a six-month prognosis.

But leading palliative care experts warn that predicting how long someone has left to live is not an exact science. Prognosis is often uncertain, and many people live far longer than expected.

Turning population averages into legal deadlines risks serious and irreversible mistakes.

When the stakes are life and death, uncertainty matters.

The more we know, the more we say NO.

Learn more and contact your MSP:
👉 https://carenotkilling.scot/

Gospel
Matthew 5:17-19
‘Whoever does them and teaches them will be called great.’

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.’

Palliative care is one of the most compassionate and skilled areas of modern medicine.

When delivered well, it relieves suffering, supports families and upholds dignity right to the very end.

But if intentionally ending life becomes an accepted option, what signal does that send about investing in care?

Scotland should strengthen palliative care, not risk sidelining it.

The more we know, the more we say no!

Write to your MSPs by visiting:
👉 carenotkilling.scot

Carefully read the wording of the email before sending. Click the button and enter your postcode when prompted.

The Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland has raised serious concerns about the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, warning that the legislation as it currently stands does not provide adequate safeguards for healthcare professionals or patients.

While the College takes a neutral position on assisted dying in principle, it has made clear that no law of this magnitude should be introduced without strong legal protections.

RCGP Scotland has warned that doctors must have the clear right to choose whether or not to participate and must be protected from discrimination based on that decision. The College is also concerned that essential protections for healthcare staff could be removed due to questions about whether the Scottish Parliament has the legal power to include them in the Bill.

There are also concerns about the pressure already facing general practice. Introducing a complex service of this nature without proper structure, funding, and safeguards could place further strain on an already stretched healthcare system.

As the Scottish Parliament prepares to vote on this Bill, it is vital that serious questions about protections, oversight, and patient safety are fully addressed.

The more we know, the more we say no!


Scotland’s leading healthcare organisations raise serious concerns over proposed changes to Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.

Saint John Ogilvie was born into a noble Scottish family that was divided between Catholic and Presbyterian beliefs. Raised as a Calvinist by his father, he was sent to Europe for his education. While studying abroad he became interested in the debates between Catholic and Calvinist scholars. The strength of the Catholic arguments unsettled him, so he turned to Scripture for guidance. Two verses in particular stayed with him: “God wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” and “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Slowly he became convinced that the Catholic Church truly embraced all people, including those who had given their lives as martyrs. At just 17 years old, he was received into the Church in Louvain in 1596.

He continued his studies with the Benedictines and later at the Jesuit College in Olomouc. He joined the Jesuits and spent ten years in formation. After his ordination in France in 1610, he met Jesuits who had returned from Scotland after imprisonment under the harsh penal laws. Although they saw little hope for mission work there, John felt strongly called to return to his homeland. For more than two years he asked to be sent.

When permission was granted, he entered Scotland secretly, sometimes posing as a soldier or horse trader. The mission was dangerous. He ministered quietly to Catholics and brought some into the Church. Eventually he was betrayed and arrested.

His imprisonment was severe. He was deprived of food and sleep and endured days of physical torture. Still he refused to name other Catholics or to recognise the king’s authority in spiritual matters. At his final trial he declared that he would obey the king in all temporal affairs, even to the point of shedding his blood, but he could not obey in matters of spiritual authority.

Condemned as a traitor, he remained faithful to the end. Even when offered freedom and wealth if he would deny his faith, he refused. His courage inspired Catholics throughout Scotland.

Saint John Ogilvie was canonised in 1976, becoming the first Scottish saint since 1250. His feast day is celebrated on 10 March.