- LETTER FROM POWER PEOPLE CANDIDATE 02/10/06 -

Standing in the Lower Seat of Bayswater as the People Power Candidate responded to her continuant’s concerns with the following response:

People Power Candidate:

Stephanie Lloyd Mortimer
19 Wallara Crescent
CROYDON, 3136

Home Phone Number 8711 3903 (published with Ms Mortimer’s permission) 2-10-06

I fully appreciate why you are writing to me about this matter and I feel it is an indictment of the medical profession that you have such concerns. Only today I was speaking to a nursing colleague who was complaining about a doctor wanting to insert a peg feed in a man who had recurrent aspiration pneumonia. She had supported him, that this was not an appropriate thing to do and he had signed himself out of hospital.

We have had the right to refuse active treatment under the Medical Treatment Act for many years. I went to a Guardianship and Administration Board conference where a scenario was put to us that a man had gangrene of the leg and the doctor wanted to amputate and his wife said no. The Guardianship and Administration Board said they would intervene to force the amputation and I objected vehemently and said this was wrong. That he should be given morphine in large doses so he was pain free and allowed to die with the palliative care team assisting him in his death.

The palliative care team say they can control pain in 97% of cases and in only 3% they can't control it but can give a level of relief. In these cases the Catholic Church Catechism allows a lethal (called overdose) dose to be given if it is to control pain. In fact in all my nursing years this has usually been done. Lethal (called overdose) doses are given so long as it is to control pain and this is not called euthanasia.

I believe that dying is often a time of reconciliation amongst family members. I believe people should be able to die with dignity at home with the palliative care association monitoring pain. My grandpa died in our lounge and I said goodbye to him at 5 am in the morning. It was a very positive experience.

However my experience sadly is that health professionals need more education about this area. Many people fight vigorously for treatment right up until their 90's and who could deny them this right.

In 1964 when I was doing my training at St. Vincents Hospital , I saw a 92 year old man have a cardiac arrest. The doctor was determined to resuscitate him. A nun stood between the doctor and the man and held his hand and said to the doctor. "Don't you believe in the dignity of dying?" She would not let the doctor touch him and continued to hold his hand and whisper in his ear that he was alright.

People Power allows a conscience vote on this issue for members and I would be against voluntary euthanasia.

There are members who would support voluntary euthanasia.

My main reasons for this are that:

1. In every country where voluntary euthanasia is introduced involuntary euthanasia has followed. In Holland , elderly people cross the border for fear of being euthanased without their consent.

2. Governments are into population control. With the increased ageing population involuntary euthanasia will follow.

3. There has been some acknowledgment that constant resuscitation is wrong and now hospitals and nursing homes are asking people to sign forms "Not for Resuscitation." I am hoping this situation will increasingly improve.

As a nurse I can only say that some patients are very sick and one would believe there is no nope for them and they make remarkable recoveries.

In other cases the person appears to be well and not much the matter and for some reason they die.

I appreciate the time you have taken to write to me and I do note a lot of public policy theory is used in the arguments given.

I am sorry I do not see things exactly the way you do but I do support the right to refuse active treatment and the right to give lethal (called overdoses) doses of morphine so long as it is to control pain.

I can only say that I believe this is not a matter for parliament but for the individual and his or her family. I do not believe being a member of parliament qualifies one to comment - Having said this People Power govern for all people and intend to have a referendum on the Pokie issue. I would support this matter being included in this referendum as also the issue of fluoridation of our water supply.


Kindest regards

Stephanie Mortimer
People Power candidate for Bayswater.

I also advise that a Medical Power of Attorney made by a local solicitor is the way to try to consolidate your stand. The new form is 25 pages long and has all sorts of questions and allows all sorts of information to be included. You can be very specific.

The Guardianship Board and Office of the Public Advocate are sometimes not helpful.

Footnote by Choice: I had to retype most of this letter because it was fruitless trying to scan it as a copy that some one else had forwarded to me. I chose to emphasis by “bolding” the more important points I felt the letter conveyed. It was a pleasure to see such a comprehensive response from a candidate wanting the contributor’s vote and with honesty. My Liberal candidate for Oakleigh, Mr Colin Dixon, failed to respond to two requests for his position statement. Treating people’s concerns with the dignity that Ms Mortimer has must surely gain her brownie points and votes.
 

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