Doctors will be asked if they would be willing to help terminally ill patients die

DOCTORS are to be asked if they think the law against helping terminally ill patients to die should be changed.

The Royal College of Physicians will poll its 35,000 medics next month — and also ask if they would “actively participate” in assisted dying if it became legal.

RCP president Prof Andrew Goddard said the organisation needed an “up-to-date understanding” of medical opinion. He added the RCP is “frequently asked for its stance on this high profile issue”.

But he said it would stay neutral until a two-thirds majority voted in favour of a change.

Doctors now face up to 14 years’ jail if they help a patient to die.

A similar survey five years ago found the majority did not want to change the law and 58.4 per cent would not take part in an assisted death.

These results were similar to those from a 2006 RCP poll, the college said.

There was no majority in 2014 on the question of what the RCP position should be with 44.4% of respondents saying the RCP should be opposed to assisted dying, 31.0% thought it should be neutral or have no stance and 24.6% opted for the RCP being in favour.