‘Take this DNAR gun away from my head’
An 80-year-old man has said he wants “the gun taken away from his head” after he received a 'do not attempt resuscitation' (DNAR) letter while receiving hospital treatment.
David Hay, from Edinburgh, was devastated when he was handed the letter while being discharged from the city’s Western General Hospital. Mr Hay, who had been admitted to the ICU following a seizure, was shocked to get the notice informing him that he would be denied life-saving treatment.
Now he is “worried sick” about what the future holds for his wife, Janet, who has dementia.
It follows a BBC investigation that revealed hundreds of DNARS had been issued in the past year with no agreement from with the person or their family, sparking calls for an overhaul of care planning decisions.
Mr Hay said: “I was shocked. They gave me it while I was waiting for the ambulance to take me home. I didn’t sign it. It’s telling me that’s it, I’m finished. I am so angry. It’s like we are being targeted, my generation. What happens if I take ill. Who would be here for my wife? She has dementia. I’m worried sick about it. But what can I do?”
The grandfather of five was a baker and a civil servant. He has frequent falls so has to be accompanied by family when he leaves home. He added: "I do feel hurt at this. I have got asthma but it’s kept under control with my inhalers. I’ve worked hard all my life. I want this stopped, take this gun away from my head. I want to live. My wife has good and bad days and she’s independent, but I want to be there for her. I’ve got a granddaughter studying medicine. I want to live to see her become a doctor.”
Charity Age Scotland has called for an investigation into the use of DNARS issued without patient consent, saying older patients feel “cast aside without a fighting chance”, describing Mr Hay’s case as “extremely distressing, but sadly far from unique”.
A BBC investigation last week revealed people’s human rights could have been breached in over 500 cases south of the border where "do not resuscitate" decisions were made during the Covid pandemic. Responding to the findings NHS branded blanket DNA(CPR) decisions as “unacceptable.” The policy is intended to prevent inappropriate or unwanted attempts at CPR which could cause significant distress to patients and families. But under national guidance clinicians are expected to discuss decisions with patients in a compassionate manner and clearly state the reasons behind the decision. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “No one should ever feel pressured in any way whatsoever when discussing treatment options – and the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about absolutely no change to the use of Do Not Attempt CPR forms in NHS Scotland, and no change to the advice issued to clinicians about their use.”