Scrutiny Panel publishes report following review into Assisted Dying legislation
Scrutiny
19 February 2026
The Assisted Dying Review Panel has published its report following its review into the draft Assisted Dying Legislation, which is due to be debated at the States Meeting on 24 February.The draft legislation was lodged by the Council of Ministers on 2 September 2025. Since then, the Panel has undertaken a comprehensive and detailed examination of the draft legislation, guided by the principles agreed by the Assembly in 2024: dignity, informed choice, voluntariness, safeguarding, equality, and ethical integrity.
The review has focused particularly on areas identified by the Assembly as central to a safe and ethical assisted dying framework: palliative and end of life care, administration of assisted dying, decision making capacity and the waiver, coercion, training and guidance, public awareness, and funding and implementation.
The Panel has acknowledged that the draft law embeds numerous important safeguards and represents a significant step towards establishing a regulated assisted dying framework. However, the review has also identified areas where key safeguards require strengthening, and where amendments, clearer guidance, and further operational detail are essential to achieve full alignment with the States Assembly’s expectations.
The Chair of the Assisted Dying Review Panel, Deputy Louise Doublet, said:
“Assisted dying is one of the most sensitive and ethically complex issues to be brought before the States Assembly. It raises significant and thought-provoking questions about autonomy, dignity and compassion, as well as how any vulnerability must be addressed with robust safeguards.
“Our task was not to revisit the in-principle decision made in 2021 - whether Jersey should introduce assisted dying – as that decision has been made by this Assembly already. Instead, our responsibility was to examine how the draft law gives effect to the principles set by Members, and whether the legislation proposed is as safe as possible, clear, and workable for a small jurisdiction like Jersey.
“As a Panel we recognise the significant work that the Government has undertaken to design a carefully structured assisted dying framework. We welcome many of the safeguards included in the draft law: mandatory training, repeated assessments of voluntariness, coercion offences, the ability for individuals to pause the process, and clear transparency obligations.
“We identified some areas where further strengthening is both needed and achievable. Coercion, especially in its subtle and relational forms, requires multidisciplinary expertise that cannot be delivered through medical assessment alone. Decision making capacity requires enhanced safeguards and clearer guidance, particularly in relation to the proposed waiver. The administration model must prioritise safety and autonomy at every step. And the financial and operational planning for such a sensitive service must be both realistic and transparent. Above all, Islanders must never feel compelled toward an assisted death due to unmet care needs or a lack of accessible information.
“The recommendations set out in this report – and the amendments we have lodged – are intended to strengthen the legislation, provide clarity where ambiguity remains, and aim to ensure that the assisted dying framework, if approved by the Assembly, reflects the highest standards of safeguarding, compassion and good governance.
“Throughout this review we have received submissions from clinicians, regulators, charities, disability groups, academics, legal experts, care providers, members of the public, and responses from the Minister for Health and Social Services. It is clear that there is a shared desire to protect those who may be vulnerable at the end of life.
“I extend my sincere thanks to all those who contributed to this review. Their evidence has shaped our findings and will inform the upcoming States debate”.
Read the report here: bit.ly/3OrYubR
Find out more about their Review here: bit.ly/4rpeBW8
