As new information line is launched, survey finds fewer than one in ten people want to be kept alive at all costs, at the end of life

19 May 2011

A poll commissioned by Compassion in Dying, Dignity in Dying's partner charity, found that six out of ten adults (60%) would only want comfort care at the end of their lives, although just 3% had made their treatment wishes clear in an Advance Decision. Fewer than two in ten people (14%) would want limited medical intervention - with less than one in ten (8%) people wanting full medical intervention at the end-of-life.

The majority (53%) also wrongly believed that they had the legal right to make treatment decisions on behalf of their loved ones, if their loved ones lost the ability to communicate their wishes.

Today (19th May), as part of Dying Matters week, Compassion in Dying, a national charity focussed on end-of-life rights, is launching a new phone-line dedicated to informing people about their existing legal rights and supporting them in ensuring their end-of-life wishes are respected.

The results of this poll highlight the need for people to be better informed about their legal rights at the end-of-life, so that the medical treatment wishes they express are respected.

Dr Richard Scheffer, retired consultant in Palliative Medicine and Medical Director of an independent hospice said:

"I think this poll result will come as a surprise to many people. There is often an assumption that we must do all we can to keep people alive. However, when someone is dying, it is often in their best interest for medical staff to focus on using palliative treatments to ensure they are comfortable rather than to continue more aggressive life sustaining treatment. This poll shows that a majority of the public shares this view. Ultimately, what an individual wants at the end-of-life is of the utmost importance.

"People clearly have preferences about what treatment they do or don't want once they know that they're dying, but few people have made those preferences clear in Advance Decision documents. People often believe that decisions about their treatment can be made on their behalf by family or friends, while the reality is that in the absence of an Advance Decision or Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), these decisions are made by healthcare professionals. Doctors or nurses will consult family members, but ultimately it is the healthcare team who must decide what they believe to be in the best interests of the patient - and that may not always be the treatment the patient would have chosen.

"I am delighted to be able to support the formation of an information line on end-of-life rights. I believe the phone-line will be of enormous help and support to patients facing their own deaths and also to loved ones trying to ensure that those they care for most have the best treatment at the end of life, based on their own wishes."

As well as the new End-of-Life Rights Information Line, Compassion in Dying also provides free Advance Decisions, guides to Rights at the End of Life for the general public, and toolkits for medical professionals on how Advance Decisions can be integrated into their patients' care.

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