The Liverpool Care Pathway

[Cleopatra]

I posted sometime ago about the abuse of The Liverpool (lack of) Care Pathway. Seems that the governent has now cottoned onto it too with the scheme being scrapped, phased out in 6 to 12 months. One asks one's self, 'why phased out?' Why can the government not just send out an edict saying that the scheme must stop here and now? Why give opportunity for the abuse to continue upto another year?

Actually the scheme isn't being scrapped. The government is just playing for time while they find a better name for it than The Liverpool Care Pathway. And the target bribe payments will be discontinued.

Amazing isn't it, eh what? The government is quite happy, and indeed has been encouraging it with payments to the hospitals, to allow terminally ill patients to be denied treatment and thus hasten their death but stubbornly refuse to allow assisted euthanasia to those seriously ill/disabled people who earnestly desire to be allowed to die.

 

[observer]

As my Dad has now completed his journey down this "pathway", I can say he was "denied" nothing, except futile interventions in a terminal cancer. He was fed and watered, and provided pain relief and comfort by a team of caring and dedicated palliative nurses. So I would commend this scheme and would certainly object to politicians, once again, dabbling in areas they know nothing about.

[Cleopatra]

If, as you say, he was fed and watered then he couldn't have been on the pathway because food and water are witheld  to hasten the end.

[Davy51]

So if the Liverpool Care Pathway has been sanctioned to effectively carry out euthanasia by witholding food & liquids why was it necessary for a man with locked in syndrome to take his case to the  High Court in an attempt to end his suffering ?

[wolfie]

The LCP is merely a copy of the care that has been used in Hospices up and down the country for years, and I have not seen much criticism about that.

My mother died recently at home, and over her last week was on the LCP, I couldn't have wished for a better end to her life.

[observer]

Suggest you get a copy of the LCP Cleo; nothing in about withholding food and water; in the final stages my Dad was on a drip (fluids) and he was definitely on the LCP.

[Cleopatra]

So if the Liverpool Care Pathway has been sanctioned to effectively carry out euthanasia by witholding food & liquids why was it necessary for a man with locked in syndrome to take his case to the  High Court in an attempt to end his suffering ?

 

Because he was not hospitalised. He was being cared for at home by relatives. Those being put on the pathway are/were hospitalsed.

[Cleopatra]

 

Care minister Norman Lamb will announce on Monday that the scheme, under which treatment is removed from those deemed close to death, will be scrapped.

It follows a review which heard allegations that the vulnerable were being put on the pathway without consent, they were being unnecessarily sedated and that others were being denied food and water.

 

I will say no more.

[Sheila_P]

Five years ago, my mother was put on 'the Pathway to Death', which I assume was the Liverpool Care Pathway.  We weren't consulted about that but it was, in fact, the wisest decision in her case, she was extremely ill. I was told that she wouldn't be given anything to eat or drink unless she requested it.   She died the same day.

 

 

My husband's aunt was put on the pathway and her daughter took her home, where she recovered and lived for another three months.

 

It's a very difficult concept indeed.

[wolfie]

Those being put on the pathway are/were hospitalsed.

Not true, as I've already stated the concept of the LCP was already being used in hospices. It became the LCP when it was extended to patients in hospital but also those who choose to die at home like my mother.

[Gary]

I witnessed the Liverpool Pathway in Warrington Hospital when my mother in law died recently - we are more humane to our pets.

[observer]

Yes, we have them put down, rather than allow them to suffer.

[Sheila_P]

I witnessed the Liverpool Pathway in Warrington Hospital when my mother in law died recently - we are more humane to our pets.

That's awful to read, Gary.

 

My mother was 90 years of age.  Yours must have been considerably younger.

 

(((((Hugs)))) for Mrs S xxx

[Cleopatra]

Without apology, read it if you dare - 
 
 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2364783/Death-path-way-damned-Mail-campaign-vindicated-devastating-report-scandal-end-life-treatment.html
 

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2364029/How-Liverpool-Care-Pathway-used-excuse-appalling-care.html

[wolfie]

No need to apologise just because it's in the Daily Mail.

[Bazj]

[Cleopatra]

Well if the media was putting words into the mouths of those affected I should imagine there would be hell to pay.

[wolfie]

It is recognised that hospices have a model of best practice to promote a dignified death with the appropriate support for relatives and carers, however, there was no plan in place outside of the hospice setting to support care in the last hours or days of life. The LCP was set up to ensure that the same system was used in hospitals and the home. If the same system had been applied with the same compassion and understanding it would have been a huge success. The failing if any is down to a lack of education and compassion by individuals not of the plan itself. 

[observer]

Absolutely correct Wolfie -  all that's required is comfort and dignity, which requires trained and dedicated staff, which is what my Dad received at the hospice.

[Gary]

I can assure you when it was decided there was no way back all fluid support was removed.

Once people are incapable of making a recovery and have no quality of life they should be able to go to sleep as quickly as possible - and we should all be able to sign a consent form allowing our next of kin to make that decision in conjunction with a medial adviser.

[Gary]

That's awful to read, Gary.

 

My mother was 90 years of age.  Yours must have been considerably younger.

 

(((((Hugs)))) for Mrs S xxx

Mother-in-law - Mrs S senior is still with us I am pleased to say.

[observer]

It is quite possible to administer pain killers (morphine), to the point were the patient ODs, presumably on the basis of pain relief rather than euthanasia. Withdrawal of food and water, will possibly aggravate suffering and thus should not be a part of palliative treatments.