How many DNR requests are rejected

The request was partially successful.

Dear Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust,

I would like to find out the following:

How many DNR orders were overturned between the years 2007-2012 that led to the attempted resuscitation of a patient (whether that was successful or not)?

How many DNR orders were overturned between the years 2012-2017 that led to the attempted resuscitation of a patient (whether that was successful or not)?

How does your Trust receive DNR Orders from patients?

Yours faithfully,

Elisa Mitchell

MEHT FOI (RQ8) Mid Essex Hospital, Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

 Dear Requester

Thank you for your email and request for information.

Your request has been acknowledged. 
 
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We look forward to dealing with your request.

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Rebecca Pascoe and Liz Stewart
Public Information Manager

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MEHT FOI (RQ8) Mid Essex Hospital, Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

Good afternoon

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act.

Please find our response attached / beneath.

We audit DNACPR decisions quarterly to check them against policy standards. We do not keep a record of those decisions beyond the paper copy / entry in the notes. We would therefore be unable to answer questions 1 and 2 because we do not interrogate notes for the purposes of answering an FOI request as this would be deemed a secondary use of information and consent would need to be sought.

In terms of Q3 it is not always straightforward to define 'receive'. A DNACPR decision may already be made in the community often by the GP and patients will bring the form with them to hospital. If no decision has previously been made, a senior clinician looking after the patient may make that decision. This decision is a medical one and is the senior clinician’s responsibility but it should be discussed with the patient, or if they lack capacity the next of kin. Patients are able to refuse CPR either through discussion or they may have and ADRT (advance decision to refuse treatment). Previous DNACPR decisions may be recorded in the hospital notes (discharge letters etc.) and on Lorenzo (Patient record system) and can be used for completing another DNACPR order.

If you are not satisfied with this response you may request an independent internal review by a senior member of the Trust staff who has had no involvement in dealing with your request. We aim to deal with FOI appeals within 20 days of receipt. Emails should be clearly marked ‘Internal Review ' and sent to [email address] Should you remain dissatisfied after this internal review, you will have a right of complaint to the Information Commissioner. Further information is available at: Information Commissioner's Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK95AF Telephone: 01625 545 700 - www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

If you have any other queries please do not hesitate to contact me again.

Rebecca
Rebecca Pascoe-Youell

Public Information Manager
Corporate Department

Freedom of Information Requests to be emailed to: [email address]
South Wing - Level 3, Room 5, B346
01245 51(4536) [email address]

Normal working days – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

I would like to find out the following:

How many DNR orders were overturned between the years 2007-2012 that led to the attempted resuscitation of a patient (whether that was successful or not)?

How many DNR orders were overturned between the years 2012-2017 that led to the attempted resuscitation of a patient (whether that was successful or not)?

How does your Trust receive DNR Orders from patients?

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