LEGALISING assisted suicide would require comprehensive planning and resources because of Britain's “diverse population, complex healthcare arrangements and unique organisational structures,” a leading health think tank warned today.

A report by the Nuffield Trust said that there would need to be “sufficient funding to implement assisted dying,” including money for training, development of new services and data collection.

Britain’s shortage of GPs would need to be factored in if they are to take on additional responsibilities for assisted dying.

While there are “valuable lessons” to be learned from other countries that have implemented such policies, the report said: “The UK’s distinctive context requires tailored approaches that account for its diverse population, complex healthcare arrangements and unique organisational structures.

“Successful implementation would require comprehensive planning, adequate resources and ongoing evaluation to address the challenges and opportunities identified in this analysis.”

Nuffield Trust deputy director of research Sarah Scobie said: “With assisted dying remaining a contested issue and our health and care systems struggling under immense pressure, implementing a new service won’t be straightforward.

“Much of the UK debate around assisted dying so far has focused on avoiding a ‘slippery slope’ towards misuse of the service, but many people in other countries face barriers to accessing assisted dying.

“If parliamentarians choose to legalise it, they will need to get the balance right and worry not just about people who have an assisted death when they shouldn’t but also about people who can’t when they are meant to be eligible.”

Separate Bills on assisted dying for terminally ill adults are currently before the Westminster and Scottish parliaments.

Funding could be crucial, as cases have increased in every jurisdiction that has legalised it, “creating ongoing pressure on service capacity,” the think tank said, warning that “a range of new infrastructure and services” would be needed.

Care not Killing chief executive officer Dr Gordon Macdonald said: “It is time that Parliament ditched the dangerous and controversial Bill and instead turn their attention to fixing the UK’s broken palliative and social care systems that are failing many vulnerable, elderly and disabled people.”

Former MP Caroline Ansell, of Christian Action Research and Education (Care), also urged ministers to abandon the legislation in favour of providing extra funding for palliative care.