After many decades of working with patients facing death, a recent diagnosis of advanced cancer means that I now face death myself — possibly within a year, perhaps up to five years or more if I am fortunate.

Although my discomfort is currently tolerable, I am deeply concerned by the very real possibility of a slow, undignified and painful death. As a doctor for over 40 years, I know that dying can be deeply distressing for both patient and family, despite what the opponents of assisted dying claim, however good the palliative care.

It is not just a question of physical suffering but also of the loss of autonomy that dying so often involves and which I dread most of all. I am quite certain that if people in my situation knew they had the ability to choose how, when and where they would die, it would greatly reduce their suffering…..continued….