Withholding and Withdrawing Life–prolonging Medical Treatment

This book is written and edited by members of the Medical Ethics Department of the British Medical Association with advice from the BMA's Medical Ethics Committee

Part 1: How to use this guidance. 1. Scope, purpose and structure of this guidance. Part 2: Defining key terms and concepts. 2. The primary goal of medicine. 3. Life-prolonging treatment. 4. Capacity and incapacity. 5. Duty of care. 6. Quality of life. 7. Benefit. 8. Harm. 9. Best interests. 10. Futility. 11. Basic care. 12. Artificial nutrition and hydration. 13. Oral nutrition and hydration. 14. Foresight and intention. 15. Withholding or withdrawing treatment. 16. Conscientious objection. 17. Resource management. Part 3: Legal and ethical considerations that apply to all decisions to withhold or withdraw treatment. 18. Human Rights Act 1998. 19. Fairness and non-discrimination. 20. Communication. 21. Confidentiality. 22. Legal review. Part 4: Medical considerations that apply to all decisions to withhold or withdraw treatment. 23. Medical assessment. 24. Medical decision making. Part 5: Decision making by adults with capacity. 25. The law. 26. Communication and information. Part 6: Decision making on behalf of adults who lack capacity. England and Wales. 27. Patients with a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). 28. Patients with an advance decision about medical treatment. 29. Patients without a Lasting Power of Attorney or advance decision. 30. Patients in persistent vegetative state (pvs). Scotland. 31. Patients with a welfare power of attorney or welfare guardian. 32. Patients with an advance decision about medical treatment. 33. Patients without a welfare power of attorney or advance decision. 34. Patients in persistent vegetative state (pvs). Northern Ireland. 35. Patients with an advance decision about medical treatment. 36. Patients without an advance decision about medical treatment. 37. Patients in persistent vegetative state (pvs). All UK jurisdictions. 38. Capacity and incapacity. 39. Communication and information. 40. Assessing best interests. 41. Dealing with disagreement. Part 7: Decision making by young people with capacity. 42. The law in England,Wales and Northern Ireland. 43. The law in Scotland. 44. Assessing capacity. 45. Communicating with young people. 46. Dealing with disagreement. Part 8: Decision making for children and young people who lack capacity. 47. The law. 48. Duties owed to babies and children. 49. Communicating with parents. 50. Assessing best interests. 51. Dealing with disagreement. Part 9: Once a decision has been reached. 52. Keeping others informed. 53. Recording and reviewing the decision. 54. Providing support. 55. Respecting patients' wishes after death. Appendix 1 Useful addresses. References. Index