Neil Gray to miss historic assisted dying vote after being admitted to hospital

Neil Gray has said he is “sorry and disappointed” to miss a historic vote on whether to legalise assisted dying in Scotland.

The health secretary was admitted to St John’s Hospital in Livingston on Monday night for unknown reasons, but has since been discharged.

Gray was due to lead on Tuesday’s debate on Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, with a vote scheduled to take place at around 10pm.

It will instead be led by social care and mental wellbeing minister Tom Arthur.

Politics

MSPs set for historic vote on whether to legalise assisted dying in Scotland

Members will be asked if terminally ill adults with decision-making capacity – and six months or less to live – should be allowed to seek medical help to die.

The health secretary said he will instead vote by proxy and abstain “given the Government has retained a neutral position throughout”.

After being discharged, he paid tribute to the hospital staff, NHS24 call handlers and nursing staff for the “exceptional care” he received.

He said: “I am deeply proud every day to be able to work closely with our hard-working NHS staff, and I am thankful for the kind and compassionate care I have received from everyone I have encountered in our NHS. My experience in the last 24 hours has only solidified a fact I already knew – that our dedicated doctors, nurses, clinicians and hospital support staff are the fundamental backbone of our NHS.

“I also want to thank everyone who has sent their well wishes, and I am pleased to be on the mend. I hope to be back to work later this week so that I can get back on with delivering for our health and social care services.

“Whilst I am pleased to now be discharged, I am sorry and frustrated to be missing today’s debates in Parliament.

“We all know the huge sensitivity of the subject of assisted dying, the complexity of it, and regardless of the outcome of the vote, my intention in Parliament this afternoon was to thank MSPs for the sincere, passionate and respectful way they have approached these considerations.”