Letters
Palliative care
Uncertainty in dying: keeping both hands open
BMJ 2011; 342 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d2887 (Published 10 May 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;342:d2887
- Eileen M Palmer, consultant and medical director1
- 1Hospice at Home West Cumbria, Workington Community Hospital, Workington, Cumbria CA14 2RW, UK
- Eileen.Palmer{at}cumbria.nhs.uk
Gott and colleagues explore clinicians’ views about transitions to palliative care in acute hospitals.1 Genuine uncertainty in recognising the point of transition emerges, alongside the inherent problem of “either-or” linear thinking about life, death, medicine, and the experience of being human.
The use of so called life prolonging treatments in acute settings does not preclude the use of …
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