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Nathan Rein's List: Kerrie Wooltorton

  • Oct 03, 09

    This Sky News article contains the full text of Kerrie Wooltorton's living will-cum-suicide note.

    news.sky.com/...200910115397073 suicide medicine law ethics death uk primary_source possible_blog_post

    • 14/09/2007 To whom this may concern

        

      If I come into hospital regarding an overdose or any attempt of my life, I would like for NO life saving treatment to be given. I would appreciate it if you could continue to give medicines to help relieve my discomfort, painkillers, oxygen etc. I would hope these wishes would be carried out without loads of questioning.

        

      Please be assured that I am 100% aware of the consequences of this and the probable outcome of drinking antifreeze, eg death in 95-99% of cases and if I survive then kidney failure, I understand and accept them and will take 100% responsibility for this decision.

        

      I am aware that you may think that because I called the ambulance I therefore want treatment, THIS IS NOT THE CASE! I do however want to be comfortable as nobody wants to die alone and scared and without going into details there are loads of reasons I do not want to die at home which I realise you will not understand and I apologise for this.

        

      Please understand that I definitely don't want any form of ventilation, resuscitation or dialysis. These are my wishes please respect and carry them out.

        

      Yours sincerely

        

      Kerrie Wooltorton

  • Oct 02, 09

    Kerrie Wooltorton of Norwich in eastern England, 26, who was reportedly depressed over her inability to have a child, drank antifreeze on Sept. 18, 2007 and then phoned for an ambulance. When she arrived at the hospital, she presented doctors with a living will in which she refused all but palliative treatment. The hospital (after seeking legal advice) honored the living will and let Wooltorton die. Her family is now suing the hospital, and there is an outcry of opposition to the legal basis for the hospital's decision to honor Wooltorton's wishes. They say she was competent to refuse treatment; critics say a depressed person in the process of committing suicide is by definition not competent to make such a decision.

    news.aol.com/...697884 suicide medicine law ethics death uk possible_blog_post

    • "It is a double-bind for doctors. She was very clear in her wishes. To have forced treatment on her would have been unlawful," hospital spokesman Andrew Stronach said
    • Greater Norfolk Coroner William Armstrong said Monday that the hospital could not be blamed for Wooltorton's death.   "She had capacity to consent to treatment which, it is more likely than not, would have prevented her death," he said. "She refused such treatment in full knowledge of the consequences and died as a result."

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  • Oct 02, 09

    An editorial criticizing the decision not to revive Kerrie Wooltorton, 26, who committed suicide in 2007 by drinking antifreeze, and who used the device of a living will to ensure that no lifesaving treatment was given.

    www.dailymail.co.uk/...nciple-doctors-save-lives.html suicide medicine law ethics death uk possible_blog_post

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