<x-html><br><blockquote type=cite><div>Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 01:47:53 +0000</div>
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<div>From: Julian Bradley <[log in to unmask]></div>
<div>Subject: RE: Nursing Home</div>
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Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 10:41:38 +0000
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From: Julian Bradley <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Fwd: RE: Nursing Home
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<font size=3>At 01:05 10/12/98 , you wrote:<br>
<br>
Re. Euthanasia<br>
<br>
Jeff said:-<br>
<br>
>A belief that you are entitled to hold, and something that<br>
>you should never be obliged to do. But do we have the right<br>
>to deny death to someone that wishes it?<br>
<br>
Are these two sentences not contradictory?<br>
<br>
We certainly have the right not to be involved in a process <br>
to which we are morally opposed. We all have an undeniable <br>
right to die ... just try stopping it from happening. The <br>
two questions are whether we have the right to choose the <br>
time of our passing and whether the state will sanction other <br>
people assisting us if we make an active choice to hasten our<br>
own deaths.<br>
<br>
From my own experience as a GP, from what I saw during my days<br>
working in hospital and from what I have seen at our local <br>
hospice, I do not believe that all distressing symptoms can <br>
always be controlled in a manner that leaves a patient still<br>
conscious. <br>
<br>
If that is the case then I would wish to choose for myself.<br>
<br>
As to the care of patients, while we can lobby if we choose <br>
for a change in the law this is surely not our decision to make <br>
in a day by day sense.<br>
<br>
Our care of patients is regulated by law and GMC and we are <br>
obliged to uphold those laws and regulations as best we can.<br>
<br>
I have only be asked once by a patient to end it all for them.<br>
They were angry because they had been refused a major transplant.<br>
<br>
He seemed very genuine and he was suffering but in vew of the <br>
obligations I mentioned above I refused. When he did die his <br>
son insisted on a referral to the coroner as he said his father <br>
had made him promise this would occur (because of an issue about <br>
employment).<br>
<br>
I would almost certainly be in gaol had I acquiesced and I have <br>
no regrets about refusing his request, or any others I receive in<br>
the future.<br>
<br>
I suspect that changes in the law are always turned down because <br>
they are "too difficult" to frame in a way that is really safe.<br>
<br>
I do believe that the GMC should take an approach that is less, <br>
not more hostile than the legal one. I thought the way the GMC<br>
treated that rheumatologist who gave potassium a few years ago <br>
was disgraceful.<br>
<br>
Do others think / find that all symptoms can be controlled with <br>
a patient still conscious?<br>
<br>
If not what should be done for those resistant to opiates (and <br>
all other known drugs except poisons or general anaesthetics)?<br>
<br>
Julian</font></blockquote><br></x-html>
Dr. J. Bradley, The Stonedean Practice,
Stony Stratford Health Centre, Milton Keynes MK11 1YA
Telephone 01908 261155, Fax 01908 265818
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