Liverpool Care Pathway - When Two Plus Two Equals Five

The review looking at how the Liverpool Care Pathway for the dying patient (LCP) is being used in practice is chaired by cross-bench peer Baroness Julia Neuberger.

The following abstract is written by the Baroness' brother-in-law, Dr. James Neuberger...

This is The Royal College of Physicians Journal -

BMA and NICE guidance on organ retrieval: neither misguided nor presumptuous

1. James Neuberger, Associate Medical Director and Consultant Physician1,2⇓

1. Address for correspondence: Dr J Neuberger, Organ Donation and Transplantation, Fox Den Road, Bristol, BS34 8RR. Email: James.Neuberger@nhsbt.nhs.uk

Abstract

Organ donation from deceased donors should occur whenever appropriate: that is, when there is evidence, belief or understanding that donation was the stated wish of the potential donor or would be in accordance with their wishes, is lawful and in line with current guidelines and will not add further distress to the family. This is the underlying assumption of the British Medical Association (BMA) report, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline and Welsh Government Assembly Report. For potential donors after circulatory death, it might be necessary to support the potential donor until the wishes of the person and their family are ascertained. Provided that such interventions are reasonable, explained and do not cause distress to the patient and their family, such measures are surely suitable and will also enable donation to occur when appropriate. Publication and adherence to guidelines that have clinical, legal and ethical validity will reassure the public. Organ donation not only improves the length and quality of life of recipients, but also saves resources for the NHS and provides benefit to the donor family.

The Baroness is both supporter and reviewer of the LCP. The DOH has weighted the scales in favour of an acceptable outcome.

This is NHSBT -

New leading roles at NHSBT

New leading roles at NHSBT

Three new senior clinical staff have been appointed to pivotal roles at NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) to assist the organisation in its implementation of the Organ Donation Taskforce’s recommendations.

Professor James Neuberger joins NHSBT as Associate Medical Director (Organ Donation and Transplantation), succeeding Chris Rudge, who has moved on secondment to the Department of Health as the National Clinical Director for Transplant.

Commenting on his appointment Professor Neuberger said, “I am delighted to join NHSBT and look forward to working with the team and help promote transplantation in the UK.”

Professor Neuberger has been involved with UK Transplant (UKT) for over 10 years. 

This conumdrum was posed to us as children by my dear dad -

Can two plus two add up to anything other than Four...?

In the above calculation, it should read "divide both sides by (A - 5 + B)"

This is BioEdge -

Organ donation after euthanasia in Belgium is well organized. Eurotransplant, a coordination group for transplants in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovenia, has already developed elaborate protocols for “organ donation and transplantation after euthanasia”.

Can two plus two add up to anything other than Four...?