Dying with Dignity
Once the scourge of poor teaching standards and lazy teachers in England - as Chief Inspector of Education - Chris is now confined to a wheelchair.
But what he was arguing for was his right to die with dignity - at a time of his own choosing - and he was scathing about those who say this would leave many older people vulnerable and exposed to abuse.
For the simple point Chris Woodhead was making was that no one is abusing or exploiting him - his mind is perfectly clear and calm.
Things had been talked through in great deal with his family - and that there is absolutely no doubt that an assisted death is what he wants - at some point in the future.
Why should he have to go off to Switzerland - when he could die at home with the support of friends and family - and without fear of anyone being turned into a criminal for helping him to end his life peacefully.
I agree with that absolutely.
Those who say that helping people who wish to end their lives - in carefully controlled circumstances - is killing without caring are deluding themselves - or they're speaking from a religious standpoint that I for one do not share.
Who are these people to impose the views and values on me?
The issue where I agree with those who hesitate to decriminalise assisted suicide - is on the question of safeguards - but in truth this is just a red herring.
The idea that there are hordes of people desperately waiting to drag their granny off to see Scotland's answer to Jack Kevorkian - is laughable and insulting.
Because the reality is that the number of people who wish to end their lives because of some life-limiting condition - like Chris Woodhead - are very small and any potential abuse would be easy to spot - and without overwhelming affirmative evidence the process would not proceed.
Which is true of Switzerland and other countries that have decriminalised assisted suicide - by adopting a more humane, compassionate approach to the circumstances in which some people's lives come to an end.
If dying is part of living - then surely I deserve the same rights in dying as I do in living - unless I plan to harm or injure someone else.
So instead of emphasising hypothetical problems - for a body of people that don't even exist.
I say how about standing up for the rights of people like Chris Woodhead - who are living and dying in the here and now?
