A scrutiny panel has recommended 12 ways the Health Minister can improve Jersey's proposed assisted dying service.

Improvements include publishing more information, two months before legislation is debated, on end-of-life and palliative care developments and how care workers will be trained to spot and prevent coercion.

The board would also like to ensure the hospital is used as a last resort, in terms of where assisted dying is carried out.

They would like to see the service prioritise patients' location wishes when it comes to ending their lives.

A further key recommendation is Health Minister Tom Binet accepts scrutiny's amendment to the wording of his proposal.

Scrutiny would like to delete the words 'direct' and 'directly' from a section of Paragraph 93 in the proposition, which refers to conscientious objection of medical practitioners.

"The Law will provide for a right to refuse to direct participation only. This mirrors the provisions of the Termination of Pregnancy (Jersey) Law 1997."

The panel wants the Health Minister to give more 'clarity' and 'flexibility' when it comes to professionals participating, or refusing to participate, in the service indirectly.

Deputy Louise Doublet, Chair of the Panel, says assisted dying is one of the most important areas of policy and legislation that any States Assembly will ever be asked to consider.

"How we deal with death and dying in our community is just as important as the way we deal with life and living.

"The Minister’s decision to shorten the lodging period from 12 to 9 weeks has meant that as a Panel, we have worked within an extremely tight timeframe.

"I am proud of the way we have given full and robust consideration to the weighty issues at hand […] in order to present Members and the public with this evidence-based report."

The island's parliament - the States Assembly - is due to debate the assisted dying proposals next week (21 May).