Liverpool care Pathway – An Act Of Euthanasia

Euthanasia is the act to, with purposeful intent, terminate a life. The LCP (Liverpool Care Pathway) is the act to, with purposeful intent, terminate a life. Therefore, by definition, is not the LCP euthanasia?

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: euthanasia

Painless killing of a person who has a painful incurable disease or incapacitating disorder. Most legal systems consider it murder, though in many jurisdictions a physician may lawfully decide not to prolong the patient's life or may give drugs to relieve pain even if they shorten the patient's life. Associations promoting legal euthanasia exist in many countries. The legalization movement has gained ground with advancing medical technology, which has been used to prolong the lives of patients who are enduring extreme suffering or who are comatose or unable to communicate their wishes. Euthanasia was legalized in the Netherlands in 2001 and in Belgium in 2002. In 1997 Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to decriminalize physician-assisted suicide

Euthanasia hastens death. It may do so by commission through actions taken or by omission through actions not taken via such means as the withholding of treatment or that of actually withdrawing of treatment. This latter action, however, may be viewed as an act of commission in that it involves an active role in the patient’s treatment.

We are speaking here, not necessarily, of the LCP in its original form as a palliative tool to determine a point at which an already-diagnosed, terminally-ill person has reached death’s threshold. We are speaking here of the LCP as a protocol rolled out across the NHS (National-socialist Health Service) and elsewhere as a diagnostic tool to actually determine that death’s threshold has been reached

The problems surrounding the morality and legality of euthanasia in health law and medical ethics is, thereby, circumvented by universal introduction of LCP.

‘Compassion in Dying’ and its campaigning arm ‘Dignity in Dying’ appear to support euthanasia for the suffering terminally-ill, not for the ‘suicidal’.

“Dignity in Dying campaigns to extend and defend individuals' rights at the end of life.”

That being the case, if that be the case, the campaign should inform through its charitable arm that there is a choice already available. It has only to support the DOH policy of rolling out LCP universally across the health sector and the more thorough and vigorous implementation of LCP and its protocols. There is no need for a change in law; the choice is already there and is available.

The Liverpool Care Pathway is a legal document for the enactment of euthanasia.