Hospitals could be "rapidly overwhelmed" and forced to turn away critically ill patients if a flu pandemic reaches Britain, according to the

[link to www.telegraph.co.uk]


Swine flu: hospitals could turn away critical patients in a pandemic

Hospitals could be "rapidly overwhelmed" and forced to turn away critically ill patients if a flu pandemic reaches Britain, according to the Government's own assessment.

However, the Department of Health (DoH) document seen by The Daily Telegraph warns that, during the peak of a flu pandemic, complications such as pneumonia could mean there are 10 times as many people requiring ventilators as the NHS can supply.

If demand cannot be met, it recommends doctors deny treatment to the weakest patients so that resources can be shared among the greatest number.

The draft document, which was written in September before the outbreak of swine flu, acknowledges that its recommendations open "controversial ethical issues" and could cause anger and violence from relatives of those refused care.

Doctors taking decisions to deny care are urged to fully document their decisions to protect themselves from litigation, while hospitals are warned that "additional security decisions may be necessary because of the risks of violence directed at staff making triage decisions".




this dovetails with a previous article

Government Report Answers Who Lives, Who Dies in Flu Pandemic

[link to www.foxnews.com]

In the case of a flu pandemic — yes, say government officials in a new report.

Doctors know some patients needing lifesaving care won't get it in a flu pandemic or other disaster. The gut-wrenching dilemma will be deciding who to let die.

Who will die in the event of a pandemic? The very old, seriously hurt, severely burned and those with severe dementia, according to an influential group of physicians.

The group has drafted a grimly specific list of recommendations for which patients wouldn't be treated.

The suggested list was compiled by a task force whose members come from prestigious universities, medical groups, the military and government agencies. They include the Department of Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services.