Legal threat over hospital notes

Mrs Young says she was not consulted by staff

A Perthshire woman is considering legal action after discovering that doctors put a "do not resuscitate" order on her husband the day before he died.

Sarah Young said she was not told her husband John could die, when he was admitted to the Beatson Institute in Glasgow in December.

It was only when she read her 72-year-old husband's medical notes earlier this month that she discovered the "not for resus" order written by a junior doctor.

Mr Young, from Dunblane, had been admitted to the institute a after picking up an infection following chemotherapy.

No-one had said anything to either my husband or me about not resuscitating

Sarah Young

During his stay, Mrs Young visited three times and telephoned the hospital daily for nine days without being warned or consulted about the order, which appears twice on his medical records.

Mrs Young said: "I am demanding an inquiry. I was given no hint that my husband's illness was life-threatening.

"The day he died a nurse phoned me at home one and said: 'You are coming in today aren't you?'.

"I said: 'Of course'. She replied: 'Don't be too late'. I thought she meant he was coming home."

'No cause for concern'

When Mrs Young arrived at the hospital she was told that her husband had died half an hour earlier.

"I just didn't understand what had happened. Death was not in my mind.

"I could not understand how his condition had deteriorated. I had not been told anything by the doctors and nurses except that everything was OK.

"I was told he was being stabilised and there was no cause for concern."

John Young: Widow wants inquiry

Following her husband's death, Mrs Young requested her husband's medical notes.

She said it was only when they arrived, on 8 May, that she discovered the words "full supportive care, not for resus", signed by a junior doctor.

She said: "It was written twice, on his histology report and in his 'evaluation of care note' which the nurses refer to.

"The shock of reading that was enormous."

"I had never been told there was a problem, and no-one had said anything to either my husband or me about not resuscitating."

Doctor's 'arrogance'

Mrs Young said as soon as she discovered the DNR order, she phoned a senior doctor at the institute and asked why the decision had not been discussed with her.

She said: "He told me: 'You weren't around'.

"That has to be the most arrogant thing for a distressed relative to hear. I was never consulted at all about this.

"No-one spoke to either of us about not resuscitating."

A spokeswoman for the Western Infirmary, where the Beatson Institute is located, said: "If anyone writes to the trust to raise a concern or they are not happy with any aspect, we have a very stringent and comprehensive system for dealing with that."

Guidelines issued by the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing say that DNR orders should only be issued after discussion with patients or their family.