Imago Dei, Volume 2, Issue 18

Editorial

After increasing national pressure and a stream of devastating revelations, the workings of Liverpool Care Pathway, the controversial framework used to accelerate the death of terminally ill patients, finally appears to be receiving the scrutiny it deserves from the UK Department of Health.

The Health Minister Norman Lamb has summoned a special meeting of doctors to address concerns, in addition to the current probe led by the Association of Palliative Medicine.  These measures follow the significant announcement of reinforced safeguards to the NHS Constitution unveiled by the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, giving the families of patient's better protection and influence over the treatment of their relatives and making it a legal requirement for Doctors to first gain family consent before initiating LCP.

While the full details are yet to emerge, the Dignitatis Humanae Institute cautiously welcomes the apparent determination of the new Health Secretary to root out such malpractice within British healthcare.

Jim Dobbin MP, Vice-Chairman of the British Parliament's Cross-Party Working Group on Human Dignity, was one of the first to call for an investigation.  Speaking to Imago Dei, Mr. Dobbin spoke of his hopes for further scrutiny: 

"The tightening of the conditions on LCP and the Department for Health's willingness to act are to be welcomed.  Nevertheless, there are still many concerning issues left unresolved. The questionable procedure of dehydration, withdrawal of food and the recent surge of patients placed on LCP all warrant a more comprehensive examination.  An inquiry led by the Department would go some way as to addressing these remaining concerns."

Daniel    
Daniel Howard