Why Ashley Peacock’s appalling treatment makes me oppose euthanasia
The appalling way Ashley Peacock continues to be held in conditions that are effectively torture have been laid bare again…
Autistic man Ashley Peacock remains locked up a year on
More than a year after officials agreed to release autistic man Ashley Peacock from institutional care, he remains inside – as bureaucrats continue to quibble over funding.His parents say their son’s health has deteriorated further, and while they have tried to work with clinicians, little progress has been made.
Since January, Ashley, now 40-years-old, has suffered two black eyes at Porirua’s Tawhirimatea mental health unit, both without explanation.
His living situation was labelled cruel, inhuman or degrading by the Chief Ombudsman. Authorities have been told repeatedly by multiple agencies that his treatment breaches human rights.
…when I look at the way NZ treats prisoners, beneficiaries and the mentally ill, I have zero confidence in any suggestion of state sanctioned euthanasia.
Those on the front line of palliative care have out right rejected this drive for the State to sanction end of life…
The medical specialists tasked with guiding us to death are unwilling to administer euthanasia.
Senior palliative care specialists gathered on Thursday to warn against the End of Life Choice Bill, currently being considered by a parliament Select Committee.
All rejected legalised euthanasia, feared patients might be coerced into death, and considered doctors and nurses ill-equipped to evaluate a person’s readiness to die.
…euthanasia is the perfect mutation of neoliberalism, the individualised choice to die in a system with public services as underfunded as NZ will be used to pressure the most vulnerable to commit suicide.
This isn’t a great freedom being adopted, it will be a tool to end the weakest voices.
+100… add to that list…NZs elderly being killed off with Fentanyl and other lethal medications against their will and that of their relatives for them to live
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/83570824/princes-death-drug-prescribed-to-new-zealands-elderly
“The drug that killed popstar Prince is being prescribed to New Zealand’s elderly in record numbers, prompting a warning from the Government health watchdog.
The spike in prescriptions of fentanyl – a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin – is being described as “opioid rain” by alarmed medical professionals.
An investigation has found rates of prescribing have doubled in rest homes in four years, while doctors are dishing out strong opioids to already frail over-80s around 10 times more often than to those under 65. Prescription rates varied wildly between regions.
The Government’s health watchdog is warning against rising fentanyl prescriptions.
This is despite research showing the effects of strong opioids are worse in the older population, and are more likely to cause falls, mental health problems, constipation, nausea, and overdose…
http://www.france24.com/en/20180316-us-doctors-indicted-opioid-prescription-bribery-scheme
…lethal opioids are used particularly on elderly women
https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/health-quality-evaluation/projects/atlas-of-healthcare-variation/opioids/
( and New Zealanders and particularly the elderly are denied the legal free use of cannabis for pain…this is a violation of human rights)
Thank you for posting this Martyn, and again the inimitable Kirsty Johnston holds a lens to the gross inadequacies of the Misery of Health Disability Support Services.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/9379405/The-shame-of-silence
The Ministry, it seems, is more than willing to pay for abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in residential facilities yet is almost psychopathically opposed to paying family carers so the person can live an ordinary life in their own home.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12005044
And yes, until proper services are available for people who need them and those people do not have to fight through the Human Rights Tribunal or the Courts to establish their rights and entitlements then ANY discussion of euthanasia must be abandoned.
The process for accessing vital supports through the Miserly of Health Disability Support Services is so difficult that we wonder if it is designed to make us lose the will to live.
there needs to be a robust wide ranging Commission of Inquiry into how the most vulnerable in New Zealand have been treated in the last 9 years
the last thing New Zealanders need is State sanctioned euthanasia
Bloody well done martyn,
I am firmly with you on this as we need to treat the weak and fragile and ill with compassion not torture and if the state condone this torture I dont agree to any form of state sanctioned euthanasia.
Still in favor of state enforced torture I see
…it is a question of trust and increasingly the people do not trust doctors or BIG PHARMA to deal with those most frail in society who want to live
…the last thing that is needed is state sanctions on ‘euthanasia’ ….to legitimise what they are already doing illegitimately ie killing people off against their will and without their permission with drugs like fentanyl
…people who want to terminate their lives can always commit suicide
Excellent oral submission from the Disability Rights Commissioner to the Select Committee.
https://www.hrc.co.nz/news/disability-rights-commissioner-speech-end-life-choice-bill/
And the Commissioner got shot down by Seymour and Greg O’Connor.
If New Zealanders living with disability were hoping for better from the Current Mob, forget it.
Its not looking good.
+100….brilliant submission….thankyou
her conclusion:
“This bill, in its current form, poses a serious risk to New Zealanders – the scope is too broad, the safeguards aren’t adequate and neither are the current services and supports available to people near the end of their life. For disabled New Zealanders, it goes even further: it not only poses a risk to individuals but to how we are seen in society. I oppose this bill in its current form. “
ACC support group members unable to see the bigger picture, support euthanasia. These people are seriously injured, the nature of some includes injury related cognitive impairment etc but others are nonetheless vulnerable for personal reasons, so unable to think it through. They’ve already been bullied, persecuted & “rehabbed” onto WINZ by ACC, some of whom include Nick Smiths low hanging fruit. WINZ also requires severely disabled, sick, injured, in pain, to attend seminars job programmes interviews or lose incomes. The gaslighting drives some to desperation.