Issue No 149
Magazine for the Irfon and Wye Valley Churches February 2013
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN OR PATHWAY TO HELL? by Revd Marian Morgan The Bible has much to say about how we should live and how we should die, the Psalmists in particular call upon God to tell them the time of their death: “LORD, let me know mine end, and the number of my days; that I may be certified how long I have to live. Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long, and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee;” Ps. 39 “The days of our age are threescore years and ten; and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”. Ps. 90
The Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) was developed in the Liverpool University Hospital in 1996 but its use has become widespread recently as the number of very elderly frail people has increased and since there appears to be a financial inducement, incentive or reward for those hospitals accelerating the ‘throughput’ of elderly patients by the active management of the ‘end of life’ for those who are assessed to be dying. The procedure involves the withdrawal of fluids and food, and the administration of sedative drugs. The human body is a very complex organism; it is able to survive about three minutes without air, 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food. For patients placed on the toxic combination of this ‘Pathway’ death occurs in approximately 33 hours. Sedation without hydration kills! Government estimates of the
number of people whose lives have been ended in this manner vary between 60,000 and 120,000 over the past year.(One wonders if this is the kind of insidious approach which allowed the Holocaust to gain momentum and apparent ‘acceptance’.) Guidelines developed by the Tees, Esk and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, which were issued on 1st April 2010 state: “All members of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust staff will adhere to the parameters of trust policies. The consequences of non-compliance may include disciplinary and/or legal action.” It is evident that most clinicians would have the best interests of their patients at heart but they – especially Junior doctors - undoubtedly will defer to pressure from senior doctors or managers where performance ‘targets’ or financial inducement is involved. Ironically, perhaps the greatest incentive of all is the empty bed! On registration as a medical practitioner most doctors will swear an oath in which they state inter alia • The health of my patient will be my first consideration; • I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, gender, politics, socioeconomic standing, or sexual orientation to intervene between my duty and my patient; • I will maintain the utmost respect for human life; even under threat, I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity; The next part seemingly concerns euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide, saying: "And I will not give a drug that is deadly to anyone if asked, nor will I suggest the way to such a counsel."
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Contributions for next issue (March) Monday 11th February