Advance healthcare directive for healthcare professionals and Designated Healthcare Professionals
Refusal of treatment in an advance healthcare directive
Liam is unconscious following a major haemorrhage a few hours after a road traffic accident. A blood transfusion is urgently required and there is a substantial risk that without this transfusion, Liam will die. Liam is a Jehovah’s Witness and an advance healthcare directive drawn up shortly after his 18th birthday states that he should never under any circumstances be given blood or blood products, even if his life is at risk as a result. On his marriage two years ago, Liam altered his advance healthcare directive to appoint his wife Sinead as his designated healthcare representative.
Sinead explains to Dr Flynn (Liam’s Emergency Department Consultant) that her husband’s faith is very important to him and that it is a core tenet of his faith that he should not receive blood or blood products. She explains that Liam would want to be provided with all other life-saving interventions, but that he would not want to receive blood or blood products. Dr Flynn provides all available life-saving interventions to Liam. However, in line with Liam’s valid and applicable advance healthcare directive, he does not receive blood or blood products.