Part A
Introduction
The word euthanasia is taken from the Greek language and means good death. Euthanasia is defined as the deliberate ending of life by another person at the request of the person who dies. One of the common forms of euthanasia is assisted suicide. Generally, several experts define euthanasia in a wider sense. It includes all decisions planned to bring about the death of an individual to limit or prevent that person’s suffering. The paper compares laws related to euthanasia in two countries, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. On 1 April 2002, the law permitting termination of life on request came into effect. Since then, the practice of assisted suicide has been legal. The Netherlands was the first country in the world where euthanasia was legalized. On the other hand, in the UK, euthanasia is illegal. In the UK, it is unacceptable in practice as well as from a legal point of view. However, in practice, adults can refuse treatment, while children and incompetent adults will receive treatment in their best interests.
The essay aims to discuss the law of euthanasia in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The essay will begin with the reasons why euthanasia is legal or illegal in either of these two countries and its influence on and role in society’s values and beliefs. The essay will conclude with a summary of the main points.
Main Body
Euthanasia has no recognized status in the law of the United Kingdom, where it is considered manslaughter or murder. On the other hand, in the Netherlands, it is legalized, and doctors are allowed to perform euthanasia. One of the main reasons for the legalization of euthanasia in the Netherlands is the debate over the last 30 to 40 years between courts and health professionals regarding its importance in saving patients from pain. In the United Kingdom, the reason for its illegal status is related to a large number of factors, such as religious opposition and other ethical issues. In both the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, distinct legal bodies are responsible for developing and amending medical laws. In the United Kingdom, the General Medical Council is involved in the development of laws related to medicine. This is considered one of the important reasons for the illegal status of euthanasia in the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, several protests have been held by doctors and certain celebrities to change the current law on prosecution. However, campaigns have also started in favor of this law by different organizations, such as the disability group Not Dead Yet UK (NDYUK), to support palliative care instead of euthanasia in the UK.
Due to the different legal status of euthanasia in both countries, it has a great impact on the number of deaths related to euthanasia in each country. (Suicide Act 1961) A survey between 2008 and 2010 showed that 1.3 percent and 0.4 percent of deaths occurred due to voluntary and involuntary euthanasia, respectively. On the other hand, in the United Kingdom, 0.33 percent and 0.16% of deaths occurred due to involuntary euthanasia and voluntary euthanasia, respectively. It has been clearly shown in this study that deaths by euthanasia in the Netherlands are three times higher than in the United Kingdom. This is, of course, due to legalization in the Netherlands. Besides this, the rate of palliative care in the Netherlands has been reduced by almost 50%, and in more than 65% of palliative care cases, physicians were not involved. In only 12 percent of cases were physicians consulted for palliative care. It is believed that such a reduction in palliative care in the Netherlands is associated with the legalization of euthanasia there. In the United Kingdom, several individuals and groups of individuals have raised their voices for the legalization of euthanasia. A large number of doctors want euthanasia to be legalized to prevent patients from suffering pain and financial burdens when the outcomes of treatment are also negligible.
Euthanasia is considered one of the sensitive issues because it is associated with the beliefs, values, and attitudes of people in society. The beliefs and values of every individual are different. That is why, for some people, euthanasia is good, while others consider it negative. Healthcare professionals think that it should be legalized because patients in the terminal stage of a disease have a very low chance of surviving with a good quality of life. On the other hand, people have value systems that are often connected with their religion. They believe that euthanasia is the murder of a person. Therefore, they always show resistance to the acceptance and legalization of this law. From the perspective of some people, active or passive euthanasia is not compatible with the professional duty of taking care of ill patients. Several people think that it challenges the primary duty of physicians, which is to save lives. Data from different studies have shown that people from the United Kingdom are more in favor of the legalization of euthanasia.
Conclusion
The essay compares the laws related to euthanasia in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Euthanasia is defined as an intentional death carried out by another person at the request of a person who wants to die. It is illegal in the United Kingdom, while it is legal in the Netherlands. It has had several impacts on voluntary and involuntary deaths in both regions. For instance, the rate of deaths due to voluntary and involuntary euthanasia is higher in the Netherlands than in the United Kingdom. There are several reasons responsible for the different legal statuses of euthanasia in both countries, such as their distinct legal bodies and other factors.
In the end, I believe that the law related to euthanasia is better in the Netherlands than in the United Kingdom. I believe that death by euthanasia is better than living with pain or with a poor quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the opinions of the patient and respect his autonomy if care or treatment will provide no benefits to the patient.
Part B
Communication Skills
It is important for a person who is associated with the legal profession to have strong written and oral communication skills. These skills will help them carry out their duties efficiently. Excellent listening skills are necessary when working with different clients, as they will help an individual develop relationships and build confidence. Written communication is also important for drafting legal documents and letters. It is important to have knowledge of several aspects of legal and technical language to convey a message in a concise and clear way. It is also important to have interpersonal skills. A person who is affiliated with the legal profession has to work in groups as well. These skills will help him or her establish effective working relationships with colleagues. Communication ability will make it easy for an individual to work in a group or team.
Academic Ability
The legal profession is very demanding, and most employers are looking for candidates who have the ability to draw informed conclusions and process difficult information. It is necessary to have the skills to perform well under pressure and the capability to cope with stress and pressure. Besides this, employers also appreciate people who are involved in extracurricular activities, such as joining sports clubs and similar activities. All these things will help an individual understand every aspect of life that may assist him or her in the legal profession.
Attention to detail
A sharp eye for accuracy is important for success in a legal career. It is believed that a single word can change the meaning of a whole contract or clause. On the other hand, poorly written documents can give clients a bad impression that may damage the reputation of the firm. It is important for law students to work on spelling, grammar, and punctuation, as this will give them an extra edge when applying for a job. It is necessary to read newspapers and other English-language materials to improve attention to detail.
References
Suicide Act 1961, c. 60 (UK). https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/9-10/60/contents
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