Do not attempt resuscitation decisions (DNACPR): Do we fulfil the human rights act?
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Katherine Millington; Marianne Tinkler
- Source
- 1.2 Rehabilitation and Chronic Care.
- Subject
- Pediatrics
medicine.medical_specialty
Retrospective review
Legal duty
Human rights
business.industry
media_common.quotation_subject
Primary care
medicine.disease
Compliance (psychology)
medicine
Medical emergency
Decision-making
Resuscitation Decisions
Discharge summary
business
media_common
- Language
Background: t Recent Court of Appeals rulings found failure to discuss DNACPR decision breached Article 8 of the European Human Rights Act. Patients and families should be involved in decision making process. (Tracey 2014). These decisions should be communicated to primary care. Aims: To assess practice of discussions of DNACPR decisions with patients & family; consultant review of decisions & communication with primary care. Method: Retrospective review of COPD admission notes in North Bristol Trust between 1st February – 30th April 2014 (N=91). Existing community DNACPR were excluded (N=2) Results: 23.5% had hospital DNACPR forms completed. There were 4 deaths. 86% were completed by a junior doctor. Consultants reviewed 83% of decisions, 61% 100% not discussed with patient were discussed with family. No DNACPR decision was recorded on discharge summary. Discussion: There was good compliance with legal duty to discuss with patient. The majority not discussed were due to patient being too unwell. There is a disparity, however, when communicating with primary care, with none communicated on discharge summary. Discharge summary template has been adjusted to improve this.