Thread by @pmdfoster

The Sunday Times read on “how elderly paid price of protecting NHS from Covid-19” talks about a decision/triage tool used to decide who to ventilate...it sounds v similar to the @ft reported in April.../1

thetimes.co.uk/article/reveal…

That story was here - NHS ‘score’ tool to decide which patients receive critical care - tho in both cases it seems as if the tools were never formally adopted/2  on.ft.com/3cRkUuS

The “tool” is here and it illustrates some of the issues that docs had to consider - tho this one was never approved in this form. /3

prod-upp-image-read.ft.com/765d3430-7a57-…

All that said, the “horror”’of not ventilating 80-year-olds seems to ignore fact that #COVID19 leave people on a vent for a LONG time - and if docs can’t see patients having strength to even be weaned off, won’t put them on. Rightly. /4

What I was told at the time was happening, however, was that #COVID19 tests were taking a week to come back. Which meant many were being returned to care homes infected, even tho they had a negative swab. Why?/5

Because many were in wards for suspected #COVID19 cases for that week - so even if they were negative when swabbed, they might well be positive when released. Why speed is so important with testing. /6

The result we no well know - carehomes and just ordinary homes took the brunt in order to stop the NHS “falling over”, which was sloganised target of the govt. The target was hit, but at what price?/7

This time around hopefully testing is faster; PPE more plentiful; stock of virus is lower.

But the decision of whether to vent an 80yo with almost no chance of being weaned off the machine remain. But families need to know the best/most dignified choice is being made.

ENDS