Assisted dying may not be legalised, but it is already taking place in British hospitals – without the consent of patients or their families. Nine years after the discredited Liverpool Care Pathway for end-of-life care was discontinued on the basis that it was euthanasia by another name, a report from the Lords and Commons and Family and Child Protection Group was published last month, showing that NHS practitioners in hospitals have terminated the lives of elderly and vulnerable patients by sedating them and withdrawing nutrition and hydration: that is, making them die of hunger and thirst while they are unable to communicate. The report is in response to the concerns of the group, Voice for Justice UK, which has collated 600 cases where patients died after being admitted to hospital, even though many had conditions that were not life-threatening and from whom food and drink were withdrawn.
The patients in these cases, probably just a fraction of the total, were analysed by an emeritus professor of palliative medicine, Sam Ahmedzai. Many were injected with morphine and midazolam, a chemical cosh, after which nutrition and fluids were withheld. In many cases the families were not informed. Thirst is one of the most distressing ways to die, for it is registered deep within the brain. The decision to withdraw fluids from a patient therefore is profoundly serious. The death certificates in many of the cases did not reflect the real cause of death, which is a grave offence for good reason. The police were unwilling to investigate these cases, being prepared to accept hospitals’ death certificates at face value.
The group is calling for the scrutiny of end-of-life procedures and the urgent adoption of uniform national practice. But as Fr Patrick Pullicino, who identified the abuses of the Liverpool Care Pathway and who writes elsewhere in this issue, points out, the job of safeguarding patients lies with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). He wants dehydration to be a notifiable occurrence and the CQC to sanction hospitals that dehydrate patients. He is right. This is a grotesque abuse of the vulnerable.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.