Assisted suicide and the law: what every nurse should know

The Director for Public Prosecutions published a final policy for prosecutors in cases of encouraging and assisting a suicide in February of 2010. This policy follows an interim policy and consultation exercise which the Director had engaged in as required by the House of Lords decision in R (on the application of Purdy) vs Director of Public Prosecution. This article explores the changes between the interim policy and the final policy. It provides an analysis of the factors in favour of and against prosecution in the final policy, as well as considering the implications of the final policy for nurses and healthcare workers.