A social work practitioner’s view of obligations and ramifications of assisted dying
Social work needs to be an integral part of this process [of assisted dying]. As with all other aspects of social work practice, we are there to act in the interest of the client, not the state. In every sense, social work provides the balance to an over-medicalised state of illness and its steady introduction to the world of health has provided clients and practitioners with innumerable benefits.
Providing assistance to end one’s life should be treated with the same attitude as that which enables us to support individuals to recover and live their lives. M ore responses are needed from all levels of social work to ensure that we embed ourself into the practice of assisted dying and avoid a purely medical discussion about ill-health and death – it should be about our support for people’s choices and their freedom to exercise those choices.