Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the accuracy of reports by the Queen’s Nursing Institute that one in ten care home staff were instructed to change resuscitation orders for patients without discussion with family members, nursing staff or patients; and if he will make a statement.

The Department is aware of the Queen’s Nursing Institute report. There were 163 responses to the survey with 16 reporting some changes to standard Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) practice. The responses are anonymous and the Department is unable to comment on individual cases.

The Department asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to review how DNACPR decisions were used during the COVID-19 pandemic, building on concerns reported earlier in the year. The review will take a national view of how these decisions were made in and across different types of services including hospitals, primary care and care homes. The CQC is working closely with stakeholders, users of services and providers. Interim findings were published on 3 December, with a final report due in early 2021.