UK: Widespread use of DNAR during COVID-19 in England 'unlawful'

Responding to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report into the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) in England during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK, said:

“The widespread use of blanket DNACPR orders is not just wrong but unlawful.

“While the CQC has highlighted the distress some patients and their families have been subjected to - and has made recommendations to improve decision making in the future - what about the unknown number of DNACPRs applied unlawfully that remain in place?

“Shockingly, there is still no robust instruction that all care providers must review every single DNACPR added to a resident’s care plan since 1 March this year. Without that, we cannot be sure that there won’t be cases of people falling ill and not being resuscitated without having given their prior informed consent.

“We need immediate action to remove these orders from people’s files now.”