An Edinburgh mum has been left concerned that a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order will be placed in her medical file if she falls seriously ill with Covid.
Laura McConnell, a teacher, has autism, ADHD and hearing difficulties.
But now the 38-year-old has spoken up about her anxiety that doctors will choose not to save her should she be struck down by coronavirus and taken to hospital while unable to communicate.
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Throughout the pandemic there has been reports of elderly and disabled people being issued documents stating they do not want to be resuscitated on a ventilator, reports the Sunday Mail.
In June a Scottish charity claimed a deaf man was given a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order without his consent due to “communication difficulties”.
Deaf Action said the man in his 60s was handed a letter during a routine appointment at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh stating medics would not try to save him if he stopped breathing.
Laura, who lives with her 16-year-old son, said: “I’m autistic, I have ADHD and I am hard of hearing but I am also a teacher, a writer and I do not want to die.
“When the pandemic began my concern initially was the same as anyone – I was worried about going into hospital with Covid and becoming very ill and ending up on a ventilator.
“Then things started to come out about care homes and disabled people, particularly autistic people, who have gone into hospital and had DNRs placed in their file without their knowledge.
“I am genuinely fearful. I had to have a conversation with my teenage son and my parents to make clear that I don’t want to have a DNR, that I am not consenting to that.
“I have even written a letter to my lawyer making it clear that if I die in hospital and it is found it was because of a DNR on my file, then I want there to be accountability for that.”
Last night a Scottish Government spokeswoman said the pandemic had “brought about absolutely no change” to the use of DNRs.
Dr Tracey Gillies, medical director at NHS Lothian, said there are “very clear protocols in place” so DNR orders are understood.
