Question reference: S5W-28291
- Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 9 April 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 June 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of relatives visiting a Fife care home being asked to sign forms agreeing to nil resuscitation and being advised that older residents may not be taken to hospital in the event of suspected COVID-19 but would only be given antibiotics, what its policy is regarding care homes and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders.
Answer
On 10 April 2020 the Scottish Government's Chief Medical Officer, BMA and RCGP wrote to GP practices to provide advice and support on having anticipatory care planning conversations and to make clear that there is no requirement for health professionals to have a Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) discussion as part of this conversation, unless the patient wishes to discuss it or clinician feels strongly it is necessary to raise in conversation for the patient’s wellbeing.
As the purpose of Anticipatory Care Planning (ACP) conversations is to understand a person’s wishes for their healthcare and ensure that these are recorded appropriately, these can be undertaken by Care Home staff if appropriate and the individual feels comfortable doing so. When an ACP is completed by a member of the wider Health and Social Care team, a copy should be kept with the patient where possible and a copy sent to the GP practice for recording on the appropriate system.
However, it is important to note that conversations relating the appropriateness of specific medical treatments, such as CPR, are always matters for the clinical team responsible for an individual’s care.