• Use the contact form to select your local NHS Trust and request help.
  • If you feel the medical staff are not listening to you:

    Make an appointment to speak to the doctor who is looking after your loved one.

    Ask a trusted friend to accompany you to the meeting.

    Ask your friend to listen carefully to all that is said in the meeting and take notes. You can politely tell the doctor at the beginning of the meeting that you would like your friend to take some notes.

    Prepare a list of all the points you want to raise at the meeting beforehand, and take your list to the meeting.
  • If you have Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare, make sure the medical staff knows and that it is written in the patients notes.

Legal documents

Here are some downloadable legal statements that can be printed and signed by you, on your loved ones behalf. 

A Patient’s Claim to Life

Notice to the Signatories

 

These documents can be used to give legal backing to prevent your loved one from being put on an end of life pathway with the intent of euthanasia.

These documents can be presented to the treating physician or team to support the wishes of the patient. It is important that together with the documents, the person at risk from a pathway should have a representative who can support them and ensure that their wishes are respected. This person does not have to be a lawyer.

The documents set out the patient’s “essential intentions” and should reflect the patient’s intentions. It is important that, together with the documents, the person at risk on an end of life pathway, should have a representative. Only signed originals will be acceptable for presentation to health bodies – not photocopies.

These documents support a legal Power of Attorney by evidencing the wishes of the patient, but do not overrule this. The health providers should be given signed, original copies – either apart from or in conjunction with a relevant Power of Attorney representation, affirming life-preserving treatment.

These documents are by Barrister Christopher McNicholas, Executive Director of The Firethorn Trust and reproduced with permission.