Guardian: Emergency medics to be told of patients' ...

Andrew Watson · **Posted:** Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:50:30 +0000

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/1 ... sfeed=true

Emergency medics to be told of patients' instructions on dying

Extension of electronic records to mean paramedics can check people's wishes on being resuscitated and dying at home

* James Meikle
* guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 12 October 2011 14.56 BST

Out-of-hours doctors and paramedics are to be told if patients do not want to be resuscitated or wish to die at home under plans to extend the use of electronic medical records.

Seriously ill patients are being encouraged to state on the new system how they wish their lives to end, which ministers say will help give a "dignified death" to hundreds of thousands of people.

But health officials insist emergency staff will be expected to check that the electronic records properly reflect the desire of patients and are not out of date.

...

A Department of Health official told the Guardian on Wednesday: "We don't want to suggest the summary care record is seen as definitive and you don't need to talk to anyone about what is on it. Nothing is taken at face value. It is just an added layer of communicating [patients'] wishes."

MrBester · **Posted:** Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:48:39 +0000

Quote:

A Department of Health official told the Guardian on Wednesday: "We don't want to suggest the summary care record is seen as definitive and you don't need to talk to anyone about what is on it. Nothing is taken at face value. It is just an added layer of communicating [patients'] wishes."

Rendering it useless at the point it is envisaged such information would be used. Therefore unnecessary.

NO2ID

Guardian: Emergency medics to be told of patients' ...

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