Action on do not resuscitate order

is this not basically a good example the fear of socialized medicine and the 'death panels?

Published on Thursday 13 September 2012 11:37 A man with Down's Syndrome is taking legal action against an NHS trust in Kent after a do not resuscitate (DNR) order was put on his file without the knowledge of his next of kin. The 51-year-old man, referred to as AWA, was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate on September 7 last year.

link to article

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Too many facts missing, like who signed fro the DNR...

So no this not a valid example of your topic...

reply to post by rubbertramp


I must be missing something here. The hospital imposed this DNR without consulting the family? I may just be ignorant to the facts but it appears crazy and heartless.

reply to post by rubbertramp


is this not basically a good example the fear of socialized medicine and the 'death panels?





Understatement..?


So, a doctor can 86 me with a subjective signature, but Assisted Suicide is a Felony..?


WTF..?

Originally posted by facelift
reply to post by rubbertramp

 

is this not basically a good example the fear of socialized medicine and the 'death panels?

Understatement..?


So, a doctor can 86 me with a subjective signature, but Assisted Suicide is a Felony..?


WTF..?

No where in the article does it say the DNR was validated.(period) A DNR is not a fickle issue, whether it is at a hospital or a care home. Believe me if a patient or person is being cared for in a home, the DNR will have been very carefully reviewed and, will have supporting evidence i.e... paper work singed and witnessed by a notirary and initiated by family members.

I don't understand how this was done without the family's knowledge. As far as my experience has been the immediate family has to initiate the DNR and two immediate family members have to sign off on it, the primary care physician has to sign off on it, and two non-relative witnesses have to sign it. It must be notarized (with family members and witnesses providing ID) and the notary public has to confirm with the doctor before notarizing it. Then copies have to be filed at the care facility the patient is in, at the hospital they use, and at their doctor's office. Also, if the patient is dying or having surgery (or had recent surgery) and they are in a nursing home or hospital (at least around here) a copy is attached to the patients chart and in some cases a copy is posted on the wall above the patient's bed.

If this somehow really was done without the immediate family's knowledge then criminal charges should be pursued as well as civil suit!

I think this is a better example. It is really scary. I am in the states, but I could possibly see this happening here.

The number of 'do not resuscitate' (DNR) notices being imposed without consultation is now a national scandal. 9/16/2012

An investigation undertaken by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), an official watchdog, found in October last year, based on spot checks of 100 hospitals, that involuntary DNR notices are being routinely applied, without consultation with patients or relatives, to elderly patients.

At University Hospitals Bristol Foundation trust, there was no evidence that a DNR order placed on a patient had been discussed with the person or next of kin. A junior doctor told inspectors that they did "not tend to discuss" such decisions with families.

They have down syndrome, so they cant make the decision
to or not too. If the persons caretaker and power of attorney
have a do not resuscitate order then thats that.
They have that right

This is something that needs to be investigated, changed, with criminal charges if necessary. FREE AND PROGRESSIVE HEALTH CARE THAT SERVES AND PROTECTS IS THE RIGHT OF ALL!

And the idea that a downs syndrome or handicapped individual does not have the right to make this decision themselves, and that family can determine to not resuscitate should be struck from the book.

All people have the right to be helped, with all attempts to save life, first and foremost, as this is what medical services means. So that is the default, and nothing else.

Also, since this is not just hospital policy but coming from on high, investigators need to chew up the line to really expose and criminally charge any politicians or corporations behind this. PERIOD!

reply to post by RobertF
Looking at a few sources that picked up the story. DailyMail seems to indicate they found the DNR folded up in his file. It seems following procedure will be the next "i was just following orders".

The DNR allegedly reveals doctors did not discuss the order with AWA because he did not have the mental capacity. No information was given to his family because they were said to be unavailable, even though they visited him almost every day and his parents had meetings with his doctors.

Lawyers for the family said the order gave the reasons for the decision as ‘Down’s syndrome’, ‘learning difficulties’, and because AWA was ‘bed-bound’ and ‘unable to swallow’. The hospital trust says that it was following proper procedures.

The form also allegedly said the DNR order should remain indefinitely, without any planned review. A close relative said: ‘It is just not acceptable, not being consulted on whether someone lives or dies.’

I read the article and was absolutely appalled when I read that in Holland most DNR's are involuntary and without consent. When the matter of the fact is that in Holland, the doctors don't decide over the DNR's, the patients and relatives do, at the notary office! I know this, because I have one, that is for specific ailments, such as not being able to speak, eat or do anything myself! And only when there is no improvement within 3 months. This due to the fact that I have an increased risk of MS.
The doctors even tried to talk me out of it, but they can not make the decision!
BTW: DNR's and euthanization do not account for that percentage of deaths, it is in fact 2,3%. So journalists: GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!!!!!