A CONTROVERSIAL new scheme, which provides people with the right to die in a medical emergency, is being piloted in Salford causing pro-life groups to brand it a ‘move towards legal suicide’.

In the first scheme of its kind in the UK, ‘Advanced Decision to Refuse Treatment’ (ADRT) cards can now be picked up from Swinton Library, instructing doctors not to treat a patient should they lose the capacity to make decisions, due to an accident or illness.

ADRTs already exist under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, for people who are terminally ill. The new cards will be available to all members of the public.

Josephine Quintavalle, a campaigner and founding member of the Pro-life Alliance, said: "It’s moving towards your legal right to suicide which is something that used to be completely illegal.

"It’s quite sad to think that you can now carry cards stating your right to die.

"It’s quite sinister that people are being encouraged to make these decisions now and carry these cards choosing the right to die.

"You have to wonder why public money is being spent on things like this.

"One of the problems about these decisions is that when you’re in the prime of your life you may see old or ill people and think you never want to be in the situation where your needing to be kept alive.

"However if you ask people who work with the terminally ill, they will tell you how valuable the last few days and last few moments of someone’s life are."

David Entwistle, manager of Salford’s mental health social work team, believes that the new scheme will allow people to make an ‘informed decision’.

He said: "This is a significant piece of legislation that we have worked hard to make tangible and easily accessible to people, to safeguard them in vulnerable situations.

"We’ve worked closely with partner agencies to get this right and feel we have created an innovative and practical solution that is simple and effective."

In order to opt into the scheme, people must fill out a card which would then be carried in their wallet or purse.

In the event of an emergency the card would then be used in conjunction with a more detailed statement left with a GP or loved one, stating which treatments are to be refused and in what circumstance.

Dr Steve Colgan, medical director for Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, who provide services throughout Salford believes the scheme will provide people with more control over their future.

He said: "When someone does become very unwell and no longer has the ability to make sound decisions about their welfare we want to ensure that they still have as much control over their future as possible.

"The Advanced Decision card gives patients that choice long before they are too unwell to make decisions themselves."

Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment cards can now picked up from Swinton Library.

A Salford Primary Care Trust spokeswoman said: "The new Mental Capacity Act (2005) allows people to make an ‘advance decision to refuse treatment’.

"The Act only became operational in April 2007 and therefore many people do not know about their right to make an advance decision to refuse treatment. An Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment Card has been produced by Salford’s Mental Capacity Act Implementation Group as an aid for people to inform others should they choose to make an ‘advance decision’.

"It is up to individuals to decide if they want to do this - they are entitled to do so and equally they are entitled to withdraw or alter it at any stage.

"The cards come with leaflets to explain to people what an advance decision to refuse treatment is, why they might want to make the decision, how they do it and other related issues.

"As we know this could be a difficult ethical issue for some people, we took advice from religious leaders from the Roman Catholic, Church of England, Muslim and Jewish faiths and have tried to be sensitive about where we have distributed the cards."