Public unaware of their rights on medical treatment

A poll commissioned by Compassion in Dying found that 62% of adults in the North West would only want comfort care at the end of their lives, with fewer than 8% of people wanting full treatment to prolong their life. However just 2% had made their treatment wishes clear in an Advance Decision. The majority (58%), also wrongly believed that they had the legal right to make treatment decisions on behalf of their loved ones, if their loved ones lost the ability to communicate their wishes.

The results of this poll highlight the need for people to be better informed about their legal rights at the end of life, so that the medical treatment wishes they express are respected.

Compassion in Dying, a national charity focused on end-of-life rights, has a new Information Line dedicated to informing people about their existing legal rights and supporting them in ensuring their end-of-life wishes are respected. The freephone number is:- 0800 999 2434.

Mrs Glenys Crossley from Cheshire said:- "When my husband became terminally ill last year I was extremely glad his Advance Decision was in place. In his last days he was given excellent palliative care in hospital and there was no question of unhelpful intrusive medical intervention. My own Advance Decision is on file at my GP's and hospital and my family is aware of my decision. The Information Help line will be invaluable for advising people that to ensure their wishes at end of life are complied with they need to make an Advance Decision and ensure it is lodged with their GP Practice."

Dr Richard Scheffer, retired consultant in Palliative Medicine and Medical Director of an independent hospice, said:- "I think this poll result will come as a surprise to many people. There is an assumption that doctors must always do all we can to keep people alive. However, when someone is clearly dying, it is often in their best interests for medical staff to focus on using palliative treatments to ensure they are comfortable rather than to continue more aggressive life sustaining treatment. This poll shows that a majority of the public shares this view. Ultimately, what an individual wants at the end of life is of the utmost importance. People clearly have preferences about what treatment they do or don’t want once they know that they’re dying, but few people have made those preferences clear in Advance Decision documents. People often believe that decisions about their treatment can be made on their behalf by family or friends, while the reality is that in the absence of an Advance Decision or Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), these decisions are made by healthcare professionals. Doctors or nurses will consult family members, but ultimately it is the healthcare team who must decide what they believe to be in the best interests of the patient - and that may not always be the treatment the patient would have chosen.  I am delighted to be able to support the formation of an information line on end-of-life rights. I believe the Information Line will be of enormous help and support to patients facing their own deaths and also to loved ones trying to ensure that those they care for most have the best treatment at the end of life, based on their own wishes."

As well as the new End-of-Life Rights Information Line, Compassion in Dying also provides free Advance Decisions, guides to Rights at the End of Life for the general public, and toolkits for medical professionals on how Advance Decisions can be integrated into their patients’ care.

Statement From The Knowsley Area Commander About The Huyton Murder

THIS is a copy of a statement that was read out to media by Knowsley Area Commander, Ch Supt Darren Martland:- "We are appealing for information to help with an investigation into a fatal stabbing of a 30 year-old man at a newsagents in Huyton, at around 9pm last night. The brutal and unprovoked attack was on an employee at Stanley News in Kingsway, Huyton. He is believed to be from Sri Lanka and had been working at the newsagents for some months. Officers are tracing the man’s family to inform them of his death and offer them support. Until this is done we cannot confirm his name. We have launched a comprehensive investigation into this murder. Detectives and crime scene officers have been working through the night to secure and search the scene and surrounding area. House to house inquiries and further searches of Kingsway and Whitelodge Avenue area are ongoing. Although, the investigation is at an early stage, the attack appears to have been unprovoked and the motive is currently unknown. Detectives are pursing a number of lines of enquiry. At this stage we believe the offender to be male, stocky built, wearing a dark tracksuit. He covered his face and entered the shop at around 9pm and attacked the shop worker. A post-mortem examination will take place to establish cause of death and the Home Office pathologist has been informed. Someone must know something about this tragic incident and we urge anyone who has any information who can help us to come forward. If you have seen or know of anyone who has been acting suspicious or unusual please let us know. We understand that this incident will shock the community and we are working with our partners in Knowsley to offer reassurance. Anyone with any information is asked to call Merseyside Police on:- 0151 777 6565, or 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111."