In the latest of the Herald‘s nauseating clickbait campaigns we read:
Ministers believe the “panic” around the Covid-19 outbreak may have led to some elderly patients being pressures into signing do not attempt to resuscitate (DNAR) orders, MSPs have heard.
Indeed, we can all believe that something ‘may have‘ happened to ‘some‘ people. Anything is possible but there is no evidence for the headline implying a trend of some significance and to suggest it is a ‘panic‘ on their part, is a disgraceful slur on the reputation of Scotland’s thousands of medics.
I’m sure a few relatives are justifiably worried that such a thing might have happened but there is no evidence beyond a handful of rumours spread by opposition politicians to the MSM.
Scottish medics have not yet reacted but a Guardian piece in April by a GP was clear:
‘Coronavirus has not changed our approach to CPR’
The writer also pointed to a confusion almost certainly underlying the rumours:
Some people fear a DNACPR order means nothing at all will be done to try and prolong a patient’s life. This is not true. All manner of other treatments may be appropriate, such as fluids, antibiotics, oxygen, admission to hospital or treatment in an intensive care unit. The only thing ruled out by a DNACPR is chest compressions and shocks to the heart.
CPR for a frail elderly patient is likely to be fatal. It is to prevent undue trauma that medics may decide that a patient should not experience it.
Not unusual for the “Ministers believe ” hokum to go on parade at the Herod without a single attribution, MPSs furnish all the clarity required without resort to Murdo “I’ve got a torch”, Leotard “Disgrace, whatever it is” or “If not why not”Jackass, we should be grateful for small mercies presumably…
The Herod make much of DNACPR which are few in number and application, yet not once in 20 years did they mention DNBFTM notices, hence spawning multiple generations of dePfeffel and not a Doctor in sight, panicking or otherwise..
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Some of the zombie opposition creatures that inhabit Holyrood should have had DNAR orders enforced.
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As ever, there is a word in our language which fits the occasion: (See note below)
CALUMNY noun
cal·um·ny | \ ˈka-ləm-nē
also ˈkal-yəm- \
plural calumnies
Definition of calumny
1 : a misrepresentation intended to harm another’s reputation.
Denounced his opponent for his defamatory insinuations and calumny
2 : the act of uttering false charges or misrepresentations maliciously calculated to harm another’s reputation
He was the target of calumny for his unpopular beliefs.
Note: When I refer to ‘our’ language I am speaking about that variety of tongue which derives largely from the speech of the people of Lower Saxony almost two thousand years ago. These days it is generically referred to as ‘English’. How many of us are aware that in the days when England was a Roman-occupied Celtic province there was a thriving trading colony of Saxons right here in the Lothians and in Fife. To my mind that would indicate that the ‘English’ language in the island of Britannia has a longer history in Scotland than in the south. OK, it’s ‘niche’ interest but it does reinforce the notion that we, in Scotland, have a distinctive national history which bears comparison with any in Europe. Independence from the Anglo-Norman late interlopers is reasonable on historical grounds as well as all the others.
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PS. My wife, Skye born and bred, assures me that the Gaelic word “sassenach” is not pejorative. It simply means “a man/woman from the Saxon country”.
Enough said….
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Gaelic for England is “Sasainn” thus Sassenach for an inhabitant of Sasainn
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