The Bishop of London, who is the Church of England’s lead bishop for health and social care, has spoken of her concerns for the most vulnerable, as the Commons majority in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was slashed by more than a half at Third Reading.

Speaking following the completion of the Report stage and the vote on the Third Reading, Bishop Sarah Mullally, a former Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “This Private Member’s Bill has received a Third Reading in the face of mounting evidence that it is unworkable and unsafe and poses a risk to the most vulnerable people in our society. These unresolved concerns were raised in many speeches by MPs today and are demonstrated by the reduced Commons majority in favour.

“If enacted, this legislation would come into force amid serious shortfalls in adult social care, a post code lottery in palliative care and well documented pressures on the NHS, multiplying the potential risks to the most vulnerable. It does not prevent terminally ill people who perceive themselves to be a burden to their families and friends from choosing ‘assisted dying. And it would mean that we became a society where the state fully funds a service for terminally ill people to end their own lives but shockingly only funds around one third of palliative care.

“Every person is of immeasurable and irreducible value, and should be able to access the care and support that they need – a principle that I know is shared by those all faiths and none.

“We must oppose a law that puts the vulnerable at risk and instead work to improve funding and access to desperately needed palliative care services.”