Liverpool Care Pathway – And The Predetermination Of Termination

This is a story about Dr Mannings (of the Star Thrower's charity) and his suspension on prescribing meds to two patients whilst the GMC conducts a full investigation. One of his patients here speaks out. It is NOTABLE that he was due to be put on the LCP before Dr Mannings started treatment -

This is BBC News Norfolk -

Dr Henry Mannings' drugs

ban 'deprives patient of life'

Gary Bowden says he will fight for any chance to extend his life

A father of two with terminal cancer said he is being deprived of life because his doctor had been stopped from prescribing his medication.

Gary Bowden, 54, is a patient of Dr Henry Mannings of cancer charity Star Throwers, based at Wymondham, Norfolk.

Dr Mannings has been suspended from prescribing drugs while allegations against him are investigated by the General Medical Council.

The GMC and the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service refused to comment.

Liverpool Care PathwayDr Mannings was suspended from prescribing drugs in private practice for 18 months by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service on 28 November.

If followed allegations that he gave chemotherapy without authorisation to two patients, Rachel Lane, 27, and Thelma Dowsett, 78.

Both women, from Wymondham, died in October but their families believe Dr Mannings' treatment gave them extra weeks of life.

Dr Mannings set up Star Throwers three years ago to help patients with just days to live and has been treating Mr Bowden, of Norwich, since the summer.

In May, Mr Bowden, who has bone cancer which has spread to his lungs, was given two days to live by hospital doctors.

His family had been told he would be put on the Liverpool Care Pathway, a programme aimed at reducing suffering for patients close to death.

But Mr Bowden, who ran his own engineering company, has since been given alternative treatment by Dr Mannings.

He credits the treatment with extending his life by seven months, but said the suspension had put that at risk.

"I might not be here in 18 months. My life is being extended but they are depriving me of that choice," he said.

He added: "I'm not clutching at straws. I do understand my condition but I have felt better under Dr Mannings than I did before.

"It's like somebody's pulling a rug from underneath you. I put the blame squarely on the people that have turned round and taken that away from him."

Dr Mannings, who said he had appealed against his suspension, said: "I find it upsetting the amount of work I have put in - the fact I work here until ten o'clock most evenings - that people should be going out to basically try and stop me doing the worthwhile treatments we do here."

Dr Henry Mannings has appealed against his suspension

The decision not to use 'invasive' treatments has to lie with the patient. This patient, clearly, had not given up on his life as easily as had his doctors.

Clearly, the decision not to use 'invasive' treatments has more to do with cost-cutting decisions and adherence to the precepts of an emerging Communitarian Health Service..

The determination for termination is predetermined.