The family of a woman hit with a “do not resuscitate” order by doctors say the case is now being probed by medical watchdogs.
Pensioner Letitia Roberts was not consulted about the decision to mark DNACPR – do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation – on her hospital notes and neither was her shocked family.
The 80-year-old’s daughter Lesley, a former nurse herself, only discovered what had happened when she unloaded her mum’s soiled clothing on her discharge from Inverclyde Royal Hospital to her Greenock home.
In among the pile was the DNACPR document – signed by a doctor and a nurse. Now the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) – the nurses’ governing body – is reviewing the case, which happened in the Covid pandemic.
The Record raised the incident at the time with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during her daily Covid briefings as there had been a clutch of similar cases. She stated it was “unacceptable”.
Lesley sent letters of complaint to the NMC and doctors’ governing body the General Medical Council asking them to probe those responsible for signing the form. Both refused to pursue the complaint. But while the GMC still refuses to do so, the NMC has agreed to reopen the case.
In a letter to Lesley, the NMC said: “Your case has been referred to our team – the quality of decision- making team – to consider. Our team are trained to review decisions made by the screening team to check whether there were problems with the decision and to consider if a different decision should be made.”
Lesley said: “I do not want the nurse to lose her job but people have to know they are accountable for their actions. My hope is the NMC will talk to health boards so this kind of thing cannot happen any more.”
Letitia died last year and Lesley said: “Although nothing can help my mum now, I am determined to fight on in her name to stop this happening to anyone else.”
At the time the paperwork was discovered NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it was in touch with the family to discuss her care experience.
Yesterday, NHSGGC said they had “nothing further to add”.
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