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Suicide patients' living wills 'risky'
Posted by Mark Cunningham
Advance directors or living wills - where people legally refuse life-saving treatment, if capable of making informed decisions at the time the contract is drawn up - pose problems with regards to suicide patients.
This is according to professor Nav Kapur of the University of Manchester's Centre for Suicide Prevention, writing in the British Medical Journal.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 allows individuals aged over 18 in England and Wales to create living wills, which must be made in writing, signed and witnessed, as well as including an express statement saying this stands regardless of whether life is at risk, but professor Kapur has said that certain demographics' decision-making abilities may be compromised.
"Suicidal behaviour is clearly linked to psychiatric disorder, with most people who die by suicide having evidence of a psychiatric illness at the time of death," he remarked.
The expert went on to state that advance directives could increase in use in the future, as a result of recent legislation changes and publicity in mainstream media.
23/09/2010 12:35
News category: Family