the convention multiplies the proposals

The Citizens’ Convention on the end of life has not been idle since its installation on December 9th. After only four weekends of work – the last session having ended this Sunday, January 22 – the 184 participants have already formulated 346 proposals in response to the question addressed to them by the Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne: “Is the end-of-life support framework adapted to the different situations encountered or should any changes be introduced? »

Creativity

A creativity hailed by Claire Thoury, president of the governance committee, which oversees the smooth running of the debates. “Congratulations to all for this great work! You are amazing! Your rigor, the quality of listening and respect that you show for each other, your involvement are encouraging for democracy”, she launches to the assembly gathered in the hemicycle of the palace of Iéna, seat of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (Cese) which organizes the exercise.

A little earlier, the rapporteurs of the six groups formed for the occasion presented the results of the two days of “cross deliberations” around two themes: first, “What organization and what means should be implemented for full and complete application of the Claeys-Leonetti law of 2016? » ; ensuite, “Which end-of-life situations would require an adaptation of the current framework? »

Enforceable right to palliative care

On a giant screen, the tables of proposals follow one another. “Constrain the installation of doctors and caregivers in medical deserts for a minimum of time (five years as an indication)”, offer groups 1 and 2. “Enshrine in law an enforceable right to palliative care to guarantee access to it for all”, suggest groups 3 and 4. “Promote end-of-life support at home or in nursing homes by developing home hospitalization and mobile palliative care teams”, ask groups 5 and 6. These are the three main priorities put forward for the first theme.

The second theme, it seems, inspired the participants just as much. “Include the explicit desire of some patients to end their lives, especially those with neurodegenerative diseases, beyond the short term”, estimate groups 2 and 3. “Guarantee better access to deep and continuous sedation until death”, call for groups 4 and 5. “Open the possibility of active assistance in dying to patients whose prognosis is committed in the short or medium term who have made a mature request”, offer groups 6 and 1.

Hurry up

The list is obviously not exhaustive. “No more than it is finalsays Claire Thoury. These are raw proposals. Some are the subject of consensus, others of dissensus. They will all be taken up and reworked in future sessions. »

But time is running out. The convention is already halfway through and it only has two sequences left in February to complete the hearings and complete the deliberation phase before starting the restitution phase in order to be able to deliver, as expected on March 19, its conclusions. to the government.

A tight schedule that does not scare more than that Jean-Michel P., 60, professional coach in Grenoble. “To bring out the ideas of a group of 184 people from such different backgrounds, on such a complex theme, in such a short time, it seems mission impossible. And yet, the result is there: we are moving forward,” welcomes this expert in business change.

From ideas to recommendations

An optimism that seems to be shared by the other members of the Convention. At the question “Has the work carried out so far enabled you to make progress in your thinking? » asked at the end of the session, the result is more than encouraging: 150 answered “yes” against 8 “no”, and 6 abstained (out of 164 voters). It now remains to move from ideas to concrete recommendations.