Background to the report
A Do Not Attempt Resuscitation decision is when medical professionals decide to not provide CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to an individual. A DNAR order is also sometimes called a DNACPR order or DNR order.
When DNAR orders are made with the full involvement of a person, as part of advanced care planning or a treatment plan, this can be an example of good human rights practice.
The use of DNARs orders without involving the person and/or their loved ones raises a number of human rights issues including: the right to life, the right to be free from inhuman anf degrading treatement, the right to family and private life and the right to be free from discrimination.
A new report written by the British Institute of Human Rights discovered that almost 1 in 10 people accessing health, care and support services had experienced a DNAR order being placed on their file without consultation or pressure to agree to an order. Over 1 in 3 staff members had experienced pressure to put DNAR orders in place without involving the person in the decision.
The British Institute of Human Rights have written a report about their findings. You can view the easy-read report below.
Human Rights and DNARs: People’s Experiences of DNAR Decision Making in 2020
pdf, 2 MB
