Would you want to know?

[CharlesF]

I would definitely want to know, one less worry and you have, we hope, time to say those final words for everyone to remember you by

 

[tom73]

The main question is not if they have a right to know but how it's done. Even though how good they are at communication is now a requirement to be formally signed off when training. Mostly via Nurses when on placement. Some are still not great and can make a right mess of it. Good practice a nurse should be with them and family should be involved.
If under the mental capacity act they are able to understand the information then it's a difficult call.
Mrs 73 has been asked many times by patients if they are going to make it she has a general rule she tell's them. But never in passing ,
without being able to explain and hold a hand along the way.

 

[12boy]

I would like to know if someone I cared about was going to die soon or it was me. Having said that, there are lots of cases where a person is told that they have a certain amount of time left and then die on schedule. I have family who were suffering with no chance of improvement who wanted to die. I think it's cruel to keep people alive to suffer in those cases and there seems to be a practice here of loading the person up with morphine so they die fairly quickly and painlessly, sort of euthanasia without really acknowledging it. This is only at the end and there can be lots of misery before that happens. If I were in that situation I'd like a choice while still thinking coherently.

 

[Lullabelle]

My mum fell and broke her hip, the operation went well, she remained in hospital to recover. Unfortunately despite efforts by physio therapists she really struggled to regain mobility. I visited every day and one night she said that the doctor had asked her if she had her affairs in order, this confused her and frightened her. She was always scared of hospitals and illness, I really wish the doctor had discussed this with me first. Neither myself or my mum new her life was threatened, she would not have wanted to know.
Mum passed away approximately 2 weeks later.

Agreed, the discussion should have been with you first.