“Threats to care homes and hospices that choose not to provide assisted suicide”. “Inadequate protection for healthcare professionals who choose to exercise conscientious objection”. “Vulnerable patients will be put at risk”. This is how, in an official statement, the English Bishop responsible for life issues, John Sherrington, explains the main reasons why the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales once again reiterated its opposition to the bill that could legalise assisted suicide in the UK. The bill will return to the House of Lords on 12 September, after having been passed by the House of Commons last June. In the same statement, the English bishops invite Catholics to write to the members of the House of Lords, asking them to oppose the bill. “There is a real danger that some care homes and hospices may be forced” to close because assisted suicide “is highly likely to become a duty” on these institutions, Bishop Sherrington goes on to explain in his statement. “Countries such as Canada demonstrate that wherever assisted suicide is initially introduced for a limited group, the criteria quickly expand to include the non-terminally ill, and soon those without mental capacity. Moreover, introducing assisted suicide does not reduce the overall number of suicides. Priority must be given to the provision of palliative care which, though excellent where provided, is patchy in terms of its provision around the country. The legalisation of assisted suicide will inevitably further undermine the resourcing of palliative care. Where such provision is absent, individuals will inevitably feel pressured to end their lives”.