I can categorically confirm that DNR notices are being placed on elderly patients, including those who are healthy and for whom there is no existing health condition to justify it. Not just those who have no viral infection, but also no underlying health conditions. This is being done based upon age alone. Which is illegal.
My 83-year-old mother has been until very recently in the [hospital] with an orthopaedic problem in need of specialist rehab, but is otherwise completely healthy. She was approached last Friday (20 March) by the ward consultant, who tried to coerce her into signing a DNR form. She has no underlying health conditions, other than problems affecting the lower limbs, and there is no clinical reason for such a thing to be put in place. She challenged the consultant, demanding to know what possible reason there could be, given her healthy condition, and was explicitly told that it was because of her age. She refused to co-operate. There are people working with her in an advocacy capacity, though she is entirely compos mentis and very sharp for someone of her age, and her advocate declared this to be illegal. There is already a formal complaint being lodged, for all the good that will do.
A few days later, earlier this week, the ward matron told her that she had not been singled out, and that everybody was being treated in the same way - all the elderly patients were being required to sign these forms. And that it is a 'rule', something that has come down from on high, that has to be done, and has to cover all the older patients, 'because the government says so'. QED....<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...
