There has been a large drop in Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) members who want the RCGP to support assisted suicide.
The member-wide survey of the Royal College of General Practitioners has revealed a large decrease in the percentage of members who said that the RCGP should support assisted suicide being legal, subject to an appropriate regulatory framework and safeguarding processes, from 40% in 2019 to 33.7% in 2025.
The survey also showed an increase in the number of members who said the RCGP should oppose assisted suicide being legal, from 47% in 2019 to 47.6% in 2025, with significantly more RCGP members surveyed who favoured the College remaining opposed to assisted suicide being legal rather than supporting assisted suicide being legal with strong caveats, subject to an appropriate regulatory framework and safeguarding processes. 47.6% favoured remaining opposed, 33.7% favoured support with caveats.
Ahead of a historical vote on assisted suicide that is expected to take place in April, this large decrease in support for assisted suicide among GPs over recent years sends a clear signal to MPs who are hesitant about supporting current attempts to legalise the practice that they must vote against the Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill at Third Reading. As the subject has increased in profile, support has fallen.
Despite the very significant shift against assisted suicide among doctors, the RCGP Council has decided to move the RCGP from opposing assisted suicide to a neutral position of neither supporting nor opposing assisted suicide being legal.
When those who are undecided are removed, and only those who took a position are included, a majority (50.2%) of RCGP members surveyed favoured the RCGP opposing assisted suicide being legal. The proportion of members favouring ongoing opposition (47.6%) exceeded those who favoured support and neutrality combined (47.3%).