Liverpool Care Pathway - A Bad Decision Left To Stand

Once upon a time, doctors would go that extra mile to preserve life. That is the whole principle of First Aid and why First Aiders become First Aiders: to rush in to the rescue, to be there and be able to attend to a dire need. Life and the preservation of life was always first and foremost in mind. That has all been turned on its head.

A bad decision has been left to stand that did not take account of the facts and history of Mr. James' suffering at the hands of those who first placed Mr. James in the dire jeopardy that delivered him to Death's door. How did he arrive there? Mr. James walked into Fazakerley Hospital; he was not carried in!

Fazakerley Hospital... Fazakerley Hospital... Fazakerley Hospital...

Mrs. James is now permitted to say to the world, openly and freely, the name of the hospital that took her family to court to permit them to put Mr. James down by denial of treatment! So what was there to hide that they requested this instruction be made?

We are set on a course that will lead us into perilous and treacherous waters. Such matters are not for courts to decide. A brave lady, uncowed and resilient, stands firm in her good fight for justice.

Another brave lady, Lady Jane Campbell, said in a Lords debate:

“I want to guarantee that you are there supporting my continued life and its value. The last thing I want is for you to give up on me, especially when I need you most."

This decision puts the Lady's life in jeopardy.

This is the Liverpool Echo -

Widow of Liverpool man at the centre of a right to life battle will fight on

• by Helen Hunt, Liverpool Echo
• Mar 12 2013

THE wife of a man who died after a right to life battle has vowed to continue her fight for justice.

May James’s bid to try and overturn a ruling that allowed doctors to withhold treatment from her seriously ill husband David failed at the high court earlier this month.

But her wish to name the hospital involved in the dispute was granted.

And because of a change to reporting restrictions on the case Fazakerley Hospital can be named as the hospital involved.

Mrs James, 67, who lives in Fazakerley, who had been married to her husband for more than 50 years, now intends to take the case directly to the High Supreme Court.

She said: “It’s very disappointing to be denied permission to appeal.

“I know it’s not going to do Dave any good but it’s other families we’re doing this for. Because it’s not just this hospital, it can be other hospitals.”

Mr James, 68, a dad-of-three, had been a well-known musician on the Liverpool music scene.

But in the early hours of New Years’ Eve, the guitarist had a massive heart attack and died. It was just over a week after the hospital won an appeal against a previous judgement – giving medics the right to withhold treatment they believed to be “futile”.

The ruling sets a precedent for the future care of patients, which is why Mrs James and her family are fiercely contesting it.

It means doctors have no duty to prolong human life at all costs or “needlessly to prolong dying”.

Although, desperately ill, suffering brain and kidney damage, Mrs James said her husband was well enough to enjoy his golden wedding anniversary celebrations, could still kiss her and smiled and laughed when sung to by a nurse.