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President Henry Lock has been giving some thought to three controversial topics -

Euthanasia, assisted suicide & living wills in spain!
Issued 26 February 2006

Recently I was foolhardy enough to commit myself to two topics which are often mentioned as if they were good ideas - EUTHANASIA and ASSISTED SUICIDE. This led me on to look at LIVING WILLS ! Being neither a Professor of Spanish Law, nor a medical expert, I invite readers to write to me if they think I have missed the mark.

We can sum up the situation in regard to the first two items in a single sentence: euthanasia is not lawful in Spain, and assisted suicide has not been formally approved by the Establishment either ! It is true to say, though, that they are matters of active debate in Spain as they are elsewhere in Europe.

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Attention all doctors:

The key to better terminal care is taking time to listen to the patient!
(issued 14 feb 2006)

Recent studies at the University of Toronto have shown that a quarter of terminal patients felt their care could have been better.

But their impressions improved after a doctor spent time talking to them - according to a BBC NEWS report in 2004..

What’s more, UK Macmillan Cancer Relief commented that better training and suupport was needed to help NHS staff care for the terminally ill.

Patients and families identified need for better control of pain and of shortness of breath, better access to physicians and medical information, more help with the activities of daily living - and shorter waits for nursing care.

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