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Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com with another quick tip for families in intensive care.

So today, I actually had a very sad phone call from a gentleman in the UK who says his 80-year-old sister is in hospital in palliative care. He had the following question, he said, “My sister went into hospital with a pneumonia and they were treating the pneumonia for a couple of days with antibiotics. Apparently, pneumonia would clear up.” And then they told his sister’s children that the only way forward here is palliative care that they can’t cure the pneumonia and she shouldn’t live, and she should just be moved to palliative care where they now stopped all nutrition, all water, and where they’re giving her morphine and Midazolam.

Now, he asked me if this is a normal process and whether there wouldn’t be any other avenues for his sister who in the past, apparently, has mentioned she wants to live, she wants to have everything done. I said to him that if they can’t cure the pneumonia, within a couple of days, (a) that’s not enough time, (b) she should have gone into ICU, and apparently, they denied her an ICU admission.

Now, to me, that is rather shocking but also not surprising given that this gentleman called me from the UK (United Kingdom). I mean, the NHS (National Health Service) is an absolutely shocking system in 2024. I explained to the gentleman that if they are giving her morphine and Midazolam instead of continuing the antibiotics and getting her into ICU, maybe start this lady on BIPAP (Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure) or on CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) or on high flow nasal prongs.

But if they give morphine and midazolam instead without consent from a patient, that is definitely euthanasia, it’s hastening death. If they are stopping also nutrition in order, I could argue it could be worse than euthanasia and could be perceived as murder. I leave that to you to decide. To anyone new in this, what that might be? He is not next of kin for his sister. The sister’s children are the next of kin, they are the decision makers. He’s going to talk to them he told me and sharing my thoughts on it.

It is extremely sad that in 2024, that’s the best NHS in the UK can offer. I do believe that there’s only one person that can take life away, that is God, and not someone giving medications. You can give medications to heal people to try to improve their lives. You can also give medications to end people’s lives and I know what I would want for myself and for my family in a situation like that.

I really would like your thoughts on this topic and I would really like you to comment below what you think, whether that’s the best the NHS in the UK can do or whether you think everyone deserves the right treatment at the right time, regardless of their age or their gender or their religion, or whatever the case may be irrespective of what colors they’re wearing. Everyone deserves a chance. If people want to have palliative care, that’s a whole different story. That needs to be respected, too, but it’s all about choice and control, and it’s all about respecting people’s wishes. Let me know what you think about this topic, and I would really welcome your comments. Like I said, it is very shocking to me, but it was not surprising.

Look at what the NHS did in 2017 and 2018, when they were killing Archie and Alfie Evans in Liverpool at Alder Hey Hospital. If you haven’t heard of Alfie Evans type into Google, “Alfie Evans.” There have been many other children and adults that have been prematurely killed by the NHS. I have no other words, I think it’s absolutely appalling, and I think we need to start speaking out about these things because it is very inappropriate. It is not a very humanistic approach. It’s not a very holistic approach. It’s a defeatist approach, I believe. If we, as a society, think that this is the best we can do, we are completely on the wrong track if we’re not respecting the wishes and the lives of everyone in this society. So, please leave your comments below. I really want to hear from you.

Because we get so many questions from families of critically ill patients in intensive care, that’s why we created a membership for families of critically ill patients here at intensivecarehotline.com and you can become a member if you have a loved one in intensive care by clicking on the membership link or by going to intensivecaresupport.org directly. In the membership, you have access to me and my team, 24 hours a day, in a membership area and via email, and we answer all questions intensive care related. In the membership, you also have access to 21 eBooks and 21 videos that specifically talk about how to steer the territory that is intensive care so that you can make informed decisions, have peace of mind, control, power, and influence.

I also offer one-on-one consulting and advocacy over the phone, Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, whichever medium works best for you. I talk to you and your families directly. I talk to doctors and nurses directly, once again, making sure that you have peace of mind, control, power, influence and that you will make informed decisions and that your loved one gets best care and treatment.

I have worked in critical care for over 25 years in three different countries, where I also worked as a nurse unit manager for over 5 years. I have been consulting and advocating for families of critically ill patients in intensive care since 2013 here at intensivecarehotline.com. I can say we have saved many lives with our consulting and advocacy.

You can verify that in our testimonial section, as well as on our podcast section with clients. By me talking to doctors and nurses directly, you will see that you know the dynamics will change in your favor because I know what to look for, I know what questions to ask.

The biggest challenge for families in intensive care is that they don’t know what they don’t know. They don’t know what to look for. They don’t know what questions to ask. They don’t know their rights, and they don’t know how to manage doctors and nurses in intensive care.

We also offer medical record reviews in real time so that you can get a second opinion in real time. We also offer medical record reviews after intensive care if you have unanswered questions, if you need closure, or if you are simply suspecting medical negligence.

Also, these are once-in-a-lifetime situations, you can’t afford them to get wrong, that’s why I also represent you in family meetings with intensive care teams or with hospital teams. I’ll make sure, once again, your loved one gets the best care and treatment, but I also make sure you have a bulletproof strategy when you go into a family meeting with intensive care teams because let’s just take this example from today from my quick tip video, where I said, the family really has no idea what they’re doing. They probably have been dragged to a meeting where they’ve been “told” that their loved one will have palliative care. Now, by you not going into a meeting in a situation like that, you’re sending a very strong message that you are not playing their game. So, you need to work out what this meeting is all about, and you need to have a strategy.

99% of families of critically ill patients in intensive care have no strategy, whatsoever. This is when these things happen in the first place. If you have a strategy, those things don’t happen to begin with.

So, all of that, the consulting, and the advocacy you get at intensivecarehotline.com. Call us on one of the numbers on the top of our website or send us an email to support@intensivecarehotline.com.

If you like my videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel for regular updates for families of critically ill patients in intensive care. Click the like button, click the notification bell, share this video with your friends and families, share it far and wide, and comment below. I really want to see your comments about this specific topic today. Let me share your thoughts, that would be amazing.

I hope you all have a great day.

This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I will talk to you in a few days.

Take care for now.

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