Elderly patients are far from written off by NHS

Well let me state categorically that far from being ‘written off’, my stepfather, who reached 89 years while in hospital, is testimony to this being far from universally the case. Having been well treated with prostate cancer for many years, there were strong indications that the cancer had spread last March.

He was offered chemo and/or radiotherapy but declined on the basis that he felt that at his age, extensive treatment was not what he felt was the best option. His health slowly deteriorated with symptoms that may not have been totally down to the cancer and he was admitted to Warwick Hospital for tests which extended to being transferred to University Hospital Coventry for an extensive scan.

Unfortunately the scan confirmed that the cancer had spread to make any restorative treatment futile. Having, established this situation a palliative care regime was instituted and administered, with such care and attention that left us all truly thankful.

When a bed became available he was transferred to Myton Hospice, where his care continued at a standard that was truly humbling. I know that the staff, too numerous to mention individually, would claim to have merely been doing their jobs but in this case ‘merely’ in no way is the correct description of what took place.

Hopefully, this letter will give reassurance to those of us in advanced years that we are far from the forgotten ones. Does my father’s case lessen or enhance the case for the implementation of the Assisted Dying Bill? In my view it leaves the question exactly where it was before.

My father was content to enjoy and endure his last months up until the last week when the end was inevitable. At this point he wished for nothing more than the swiftest end possible and requested the opportunity to confirm these wishes in writing there and then.

Despite the exemplary treatment he received, this should not have removed the validity of his wishes which had the option of assisted death been available, would have made his last few months more enjoyable knowing that he of sound mind could have called ‘time’ as and when he thought appropriate, which was in this case, the last week of his highly valued life.

J H Pearce, Church Lane, Lighthorne