Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Kapur, Navneet
• Clements, Caroline
• Bateman, Nick
• Foëx, Bernard
• Mackway-Jones, Kevin
• Huxtable, Richard
• Gunnell, David
• Hawton, Keith

Titel

Advance directives and suicidal behaviour

Ist Teil von

• BMJ. British medical journal (International ed.), 2010-09, Vol.341 (7773), p.590

Auflage

International edition

Ort / Verlag

London: BMJ Publishing Group

Erscheinungsjahr

2010

Quelle

Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• David and colleagues present a comprehensive analysis of the well publicized case of Kerrie Wooltorton. One issue they touch on warrants further discussion--the role of advance directives in suicidal behavior. Miss Wooltorton's letter may not have constituted a valid advance decision. Even if it had been valid it would not have applied if she was legally competent when she presented to hospital. However, the existence of the letter was not irrelevant--it may have reassured staff that Miss Wooltorton was unwavering in her wish not to be treated. In England and Wales the Mental Capacity Act 2005 allows people aged 18 years and over to refuse specified medical treatment in the future even if this refusal might result in death.