In a serious breach of human rights, British doctors made do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders for elderly and disabled patients during the pandemic without telling patients or their families, with the health ombudsman finding that even evidence of “learning disability” was listed as a reason for not resuscitating someone.
In a new report on breaches of the orders during the pandemic, the Parliamentary Health Service Ombud found failings from at least 13 patient complaints, reports The Independent. The research, carried out with the charity Dignity in Dying, found “unacceptable” failures in how end-of-life care conversations are held, particularly with elderly and disabled patients.
The PHSO said after a review of complaints in 2019 and 2020, it found that in some cases, doctors did not even tell the patient or their family that a notice had been made – thus breaching their human rights – and called for health services to improve the approach by medics in talking about death and end-of-life care.
The NHS’ annual Learning Disability Deaths Review for 2021 found DNR orders were only followed correctly in 60% of deaths in 2020: it also found evidence of “learning disability” being listed as a reason for not resuscitating a patient.
Key findings included that conversations related to resuscitation are happening too late – when patients are in emergency situations such as A&E.
It warned of a lack of accessible information from healthcare professionals at the time or before these conversations are had, and also, that there was a lack of public awareness about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and who is responsible for making decisions.
Health Ombud Rob Behrens said it was a legal requirement for a doctor to have a conversation about (DNAR notices). "Failing to do so constitutes maladministration and a breach of human rights.”
A person’s age or disability should not affect his or her human right to be treated with respect and care, he added, warning that the NHS needed to make “urgent” improvements and look at past mistakes.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
NHS wanted Do Not Resuscitate orders on all care home residents
Regulator's disturbing findings on blanket 'Do Not Resuscitate' orders
Since COVID, doctors ‘less likely’ to resuscitate critical patients – UK study