Demands for ‘do not resuscitate’ probe

CAMPAIGNERS have called for an inquiry into the use of ‘do not resuscitate’ (DNR) orders during the pandemic.

Age Scotland has written to Healthcare Improvement Scotland to call for an investigation following a damning report on the edicts.

The Care Quality Commission in England found the human rights of more than 500 patients may have been breached when the orders were imposed without consent.

Age Scotland wrote to Holyrood’s health committee last year after reports from older people and their families who received calls from their GPs asking them to agree to ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ (DNACPR) orders. Patients also discovered paperwork in their hospital discharge notes completed without their knowledge.

Brian Sloan, chief executive of Age Scotland, said: ‘There are considerable questions about whether individual human rights were breached. We want to know what happened.

‘It appears that the correct procedures and appropriate conversations were not happening, giving older people the impression they had been cast aside. It is vital older people and their families get guarantees that this practice is applied correctly going forward.’

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: ‘There has been no change at any point throughout this pandemic on the expectations of the NHS on how discussions are undertaken between clinicians, patients and families that may or may not lead to a DNACPR notice.

‘I’d want to talk to [Age Scotland] and understand what their evidence is. If there have been instances, we’ll want to look at that.’