Covid in UK

[Char]

Withdrawel of treatment and moved to end of life care.
Does that mean that the patient is just going to be given increased levels of morphine or such like until they die peacefully floating on a cloud?

[niemeyjt]

Yes - given the name "Liverpool Care Pathway" or somesuch - basically stop everything including water so they die quickly of thirst whilst knocked out with morphine.

A friend's father was put on it, without either offspring agreeing, so presumably by the doctors. He was complaining of issues following an operation - so I guess it stopped him suing them. The PM revealed the issue - but by then it was too late, of course.

[Pathca]

The Liverpool Care Pathway hasn’t been used for years

[Hotrodder]

They're keeping it in reserve.

[Pathca]

There’s more modern End of Life Pathways now in use

[Char]

So basically euthanasia then - thanks all.

[Pathca]

Not at all euthanasia,it is making people comfortable in their last days ,by no means hastening the end ,indeed in some cases if someone rallies they maybe taken off EOL care

[Blaze]

When people are dying, their systems close down. They can't absorb liquid easily and they slowly dry out - it's one of the factors of the end of life. Inevitably the body parts give out - we're not made to last forever and the comes a point when doctors let nature take its course.

[demi]

My husband was on end of life pathway - I am not willing to go into the reasons but it was with my agreement & it was something that he and I had discussed before he was taken ill. (Not covid).

The care he received from the NHS and the care I received was superb. I have no complaints at all. And this was some two & a half years ago, in the middle of covid.

[Quiksilver]

It's one thing applying this withdrawal of treatment with the prior consent of the patient and/or family, but my experiences of it's application in UK were very different. Withdrawing food and water when someone is literally at the end of their life is one thing. Patients who are unable to feed themselves or drink unaided being left to suffer because there aren't enough staff to care for them, or who are under instruction not to help, well I think that's pretty disgraceful.