The Isle of Man’s Legislative Council (LegCo) - the upper house of Tynwald - has today voted to carry every clause of the Assisted Dying Bill to its third and final reading.

It now remains on track to become law in 2025.

This means the Isle of Man is set to become the first country in the British Isles to introduce assisted dying for terminal ill adults who have a ‘clear and settled’ intention to end their life.

Following an evidence session last month, a number of amendments to Dr Alex Allinson’s private member’s bill was put forward for consideration by Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) on Tuesday afternoon.

MLCs voted on the different Clauses of the Bill, during which they passed amendments that would ensure a mandatory referral to a psychiatrist is made if there are any doubts about a patient’s mental capacity.

They also passed an amendment that ensures there will be specific training for healthcare professionals to identify coercion, duress or pressure among assisted dying candidates.

Members also voted to echo a clause in by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s proposed UK Bill that requires that a person be registered as a patient with a GP practice on the island in order to access this choice.

MLCs rejected a number of amendments during Tuesday’s debate, including one that would have reduced the prognosis requirement from 12 months to six months and another that would have prohibited assisted deaths from taking place at Noble’s Hospital.

LegCo members also voted to reduce residency requirement from five years to nothing less than one year from diagnosis.

Following the session, Francesca Hall, campaigns and engagement manager for pro-assisted dying campaign group Dignity in Dying, said: ‘The choice of compassionate and safe assisted dying is another step closer to becoming an option in the British Isles.

‘The Isle of Man’s Parliament has spent over a year debating how to deliver a law that offers choice to dying citizens, and protections for all Manx people.

‘This is a journey Westminster is now embarking upon, following the historic vote on Kim Leadbeater’s bill last month.

‘Both parliaments should be commended for listening to dying people and recognising the overwhelming public support for assisted dying reform.’

However others will be less pleased with today’s result.

In July, Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Tim Glover argued passionately against the bill, stating that there has been no consultation with the likes of Manx Care, the Law Society, pharmacies and churches.

The Bill has now progressed further than any other end-of-life bill in the British Isles.

It will now go back to the House of Keys next year for a further debate on the amendments.

If it passes the third and final reading, assisted dying could now be made available on the Isle of Man as early as 2027.