GP Confirmed Death at Home by Videocall

When I remember DH going out in the middle of the night to confirm deaths, I am totally disgusted to hear about this. What are we coming to? How can these doctors feel comfortable with behaving in such a heartless way?

I was with my mother when she died at home in 2014. At the time we had marvellous end of life care from both her community nurse,GP and Marie Curie. I remember the moment I realised she was no longer breathing. It may sound silly but despite doing the things you would do,check for pulse etc I still wasn't SURE. I was so grateful when professionals arrived.
My father also died peacefully at home.
I am so glad they have not had to live through the nightmare of past few years.
That poor poor woman.

Very sad, Looks like I was very “lucky”.
DH died last month in front of me. I had insisted that the GP visited when I knew he was slipping away. She did, and when he died four days later, I called the Community nurse who came 3 hours after and confirmed the death.
I’m not sure what I’d have said if I needed to video him - probably be truthful and say I didn’t know how.

Nik dumpling I will be doing the same and refusing, I will simply act my name and say I don’t know how.

NotSpaghetti

Thete is actually national guidance on this!
Who knew?!!

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.bma.org.uk/media/2323/bma-guidelines-for-remote-voed-april-2020.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiqkvSA1-r5AhWBR8AKHaNCBCMQFnoECBoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2UlGHz2dmtobc8FUPK8utk

Is the person who was with the deceased supposed to do all that?? Who just happens to have a stethoscope in their back pocket?

Whatever next - self-certifying your own death?

That guidance says for deaths at home during the pandemic. I could understand emergency measure being in place during a time of crisis, but guess what...the pandemic has passed. We can go back to being treated like humans again. Except it seems not. As with everything else, legislation brought in during the pandemic is probably here to stay, so we'd better get used to being treated as though there were bodies lying everywhere and no medical staff available. In fact, that's not far off the mark anyway.

That is dreadful, and quite frightening. What if the person was not really dead! Surely it's not legal over a phone to pronounce someone has died?

Forgot to say, the link is to a pdf download
I've attached an image if the 1st page in case you are wary of downloads.

Thete is actually national guidance on this!
Who knew?!!

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.bma.org.uk/media/2323/bma-guidelines-for-remote-voed-april-2020.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiqkvSA1-r5AhWBR8AKHaNCBCMQFnoECBoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2UlGHz2dmtobc8FUPK8utk

My mother died four months ago in a care home and a doctor from her surgery came to the home to confirm the death. He then took the time to phone me the next morning, from home as it was a Saturday, to offer his condolences and talk me through the process of registering the death and arranging the funeral. I’d never met him but was very impressed with his consideration and care.

I can’t think of anything worse than being expected to take a photo of a loved one to certify the death. It doesn’t seem legal somehow.

Aveline

Will they still claim their 'ash cash'?

Certifying a death is not the same as authorising a cremation.

NfkDumpling

Surely it has to be a qualified medical person who confirms death and time of death?

Unfortunately I can’t read the article because of the paywall, but no, a suitably qualified nurse can verify a death, it doesn’t have to be done by a doctor.

I certainly wouldn’t of being able to do that if asked thankfully a GP came out when OH died although I had to wait 4 hrs till evening surgery ended. Disgusting what are they thinking.

avitorl

My neighbour died recently and his Partner was also asked to send a photo by phone to his GP. I found it difficult to believe that this could happen.
I still wonder how a photograph could confirm a death?

I doubt I would be able to hold a phone camera steady enough for a doctor to see if the 'deceased' was still breathing.

Thank V3ra for alerting us to this. I will tell Best Beloved so we are both prepared to refuse the request. I wonder what happens if you do refuse or don't have a camera phone.

An elderly widow was forced to certify her husband's death via video call after a GP said they “don't come out any more”. The patient, who was 80 and had been dying from cancer, passed away at home shortly after 4pm on a weekday earlier this month.5 hours ago

Widow forced to verify husband's death on video call because ...https://www.telegraph.co.uk › news › 2022/08/28 › wido...

How dare they treating people like that, where is the compassion, where is the care? Poor woman, this is such a traumatic experience, really feel for her. And by the way, how can they know it is a natural death? Mind boggles...

Will they still claim their 'ash cash'?

My neighbour died recently and his Partner was also asked to send a photo by phone to his GP. I found it difficult to believe that this could happen.
I still wonder how a photograph could confirm a death?

Surely it has to be a qualified medical person who confirms death and time of death?

What if the person didn’t have a phone/camera ?

A Nurse from the District Nursing Team warned me that DH was reaching the end, as his breathing had changed and if he died, not to ring 999 as they’d try to resuscitate and probably take him to hospital. She said not to bother the GP (who had been very helpful) but to ring her and she’d come straight over to certify, which is what happened.

What an awful situation that poor lady was put in. (I didn’t expect nor got a subsequent visit from our GP lemsip).

The work doesn't work

The LINK doesn't work.

I'm all a-fluster with this Queen Bee chatter, sorry...

The work doesn't work for everyone because it is behind a paywall. Does anybody have an actual copy of the article that we could all read?

So shocking. Heartless! What next??

I read that earlier and was totally shocked! What a callous way to act.