Covid inquiry told of trust do-not-resuscitate rule

At least one NHS trust put in place a blanket "do-not-resuscitate" order for sick patients in the pandemic, the Covid inquiry has heard.

It would mean individuals were considered ineligible for potentially lifesaving CPR, solely on the basis of age or disability, without being individually assessed.

Former Resuscitation Council UK president Prof Jonathan Wyllie said he knew of one trust implementing the policy, although he had not seen a document setting it out.

Groups representing the families of people who died from Covid said they were “horrified but not surprised”.

Under NHS guidance, a Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNCPR) order can be added to someone's medical notes after consultation with the patient or their family members.

It means medical staff will not attempt chest compressions or defibrillation, where an electric shock is applied to restore normal heart rhythm, if the patient's heart or breathing stops.

Groups representing bereaved families believe some hospital departments became so overwhelmed in the pandemic that blanket DNACPR rules were applied, based solely on age, disability or medical condition.

At the time, the charity Mencap said some people with learning disabilities had reported being told they would not be resuscitated if taken ill with Covid.

NHS England says a blanket DNACPR rule for every person with a specific medical condition or over a certain age would be unlawful.

It wrote to NHS trusts a number of times during the pandemic, external, to remind clinicians the orders should only ever be applied with the "appropriate consent".

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Source: BBC News, 10 October 2024