HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Health & Social Care Case Study

Health and Social Care Case Study

Introduction

The laws in the United Kingdom draw a vital distinction between proactively causing someone to die i.e. murder or assisting or encouraging them to bring take their own lives i.e. assisted suicide. Both acts are deemed as unlawful in the United Kingdom. However, the withholding or an intentional withdrawal of life sustaining treatment could suffice the present laws in United Kingdom (Calhan, 2009, pp. 9). Medical health practitioners are often faced with the decision to continue with the prescribed treatment and to cater the wishes of the patient or the patient's family; as long as it falls under an applicable and valid premise of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005. The law is applicable as long as the patient holds the capacity to make the decision.

For instance, a patient with capacity could overview a decision on refusing to continue with the medical treatment before becoming physically incapacitated. Hence, the advanced decisions ensure that the wishes of the patient and their families are taken into consideration before the patient is not able to make the decision itself. In the United Kingdom, the issue of assisted suicide and the role of nurses, doctors, patients and their families has been a subject of debate and controversy (Catalano, 1991, pp. 20).

Ethical Frameworks and Principles

The vital topic of assisted suicide leads to extensive debates on numerous levels i.e. moral, ethical, religious, political, spiritual, psychological, cultural, legal and professional. By mere definition, it is a prominent issue which tends to affect the occupation of nursing on a regular basis; both as healthcare professionals and at the individual level. In the recent years, extensive media coverage of assisted suicide cases has led to major developments in the field of medical science and relevant legislation. However, the present debate involving the legalisation on assisted suicide and 'voluntary euthanasia' is on the forefront of public consciousness (Catalano, 1991, pp. 20).

The delicate issue leads to emotional outcomes and reminds the human race about mortality and elements of humanity. A majority of people who approach the end of their lives in United Kingdom often do not ask a medical practitioner i.e. nurse, doctor to hasten their death. But, only a negligible minority of people express their desire and readiness to die and escape the agony (Crowley, 2007, pp. 61). Most patients who express such feelings sentiments do not go beyond to asking someone to assist them in dying. Hence, when a medical practitioner is faced with the issue; it can lead to devastation and become quite difficult to respond (Beauchamp et. al, 1994, pp. 192).

Case Study

In this essay, we would analyze a case Pretty v. United Kingdom (2346/02) which occurred in 2002. The court case was decided by the European Court of Human Rights. We would associate major ethical issues in nursing i.e. beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy and apply them to the given case of Pretty Vs United Kingdom.

Diane Pretty was born in 1958 and was suffering from the ...