Independent survey on end-of-life choices in Jersey
20 August 2019
End of Life Choices Jersey (Link) commissioned an independent survey from 4insight to gather Islanders views on end-of-life choices in Jersey. The organisation End of Life Choices Jersey was set up in response to the wish of many Islanders to determine how and when they end their own life, without incriminating those assisting them.
Michael Talibard of End of Life Choices Jersey says:
“Assisted dying, as we know, is a complex issue – you cannot ask people to declare themselves simply for or against – it always ‘depends’.
Therefore we were pleased that My Death My Decision (Link) allowed us to mimic their well designed questionnaire, in which nuanced reactions were sought to different situations. So across four scenarios, respondents were asked if they would consider it acceptable for a doctor to assist each type of patient to die – always, sometimes, rarely or never. The results were remarkable, and showed a level of support a little greater even than that in the UK. There are different ways of summarising this, but adding together the ‘always’ and the ‘sometimes’, one sees figures of between 76% and 89% in favour. This gives us great encouragement.”
