Children with learning disabilities offered ‘do not resuscitate’ orders during Covid pandemic

Dec 27, 2021 by

from The Telegraph:

Revelation adds to fears that controversial resuscitation orders may have been issued in a discriminatory fashion during the pandemic.

Children with learning disabilities were offered “do not resuscitate” orders during the pandemic, The Telegraph can disclose.

GP surgeries asked if teenagers with autism and Down’s syndrome wanted not to be resuscitated, amid concerns about the pressure on the NHS.

The Telegraph has spoken to two families who were asked about the controversial orders – known as DNACPRs – during routine appointments.

Both families live in Kent and The Telegraph has seen an apology from their local health authority – who they have asked us not to name – saying that the question should not be asked.

The families said that they believed they were only asked about DNACPRs because of their child’s learning disability.

At the beginning of the pandemic, medics were warned that learning disabilities “should never be a reason for issuing a DNAR order “ and therefore if the decisions had been put in place it would have been a breach of their guidance.

Read here (£)

 

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