title: Legal aspects of consent 15: living wills and the common law.
abstract: Case Scenario: Since watching a programme on dementia on the television, Sam had always been terrified of losing his mental faculties. He therefore told his daughter that if he ever suffered from a disease which lead to mental incapacity he would not wish to have any treatment. Some years later early signs of motor neurone's disease appeared and his condition worsened rapidly. He became incapable of swallowing and his mind deteriorated, so he was no longer able to express his views. His daughter told the healthcare staff at the hospital about his previous wishes and said that he would not wish to be fed artificially. Would staff be justified in giving him artificial feeding, contrary to the daughter's views?
authors.affiliation: University of Glamorgan.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dimond
mesh_terms: D024362:Advance Directive Adherence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016224:Living Wills / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D006113:United Kingdom