By . Mark Duell . The family of an 82-year-old man in hospital for routine surgery found a ‘do not resuscitate’ order in his notes - written without their permission, it was claimed today. John Flatt was waiting for an operation at York Hospital to change a kidney stent under general anaesthetic when a nurse checked with his wife Anne whether the DNR order still stood. But Mrs Flatt, 70, claimed she had never even been consulted about the order. She has now made a formal complaint to the hospital and asked for a full investigation. Shock: John Flatt (left) was waiting for an operation at York Hospital to change a kidney stent under general anaesthetic when a nurse checked with his wife Anne (right) whether the DNR order still stood . Guidelines from the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing both state that, in all cases, DNR orders should only be issued after discussion with patients or their family. She said: ‘The whole thing is very bizarre and could have had terrible consequences. I’m disgusted with what’s happened. John is not going out of my sight. ‘He has his age against him and a heart condition - and if anything had happened they would just look at the form and leave him. ‘What happened is shrouded in mystery. It’s not a situation that should just be put on the back burner because of the potential consequences for other people.’ A staff nurse alerted the family to the instructions, signed by a doctor when he was in hospital in November last year. DNR order: Mrs Flatt has made a formal complaint to York Hospital (pictured) and asked for a full investigation . The form indicates the matter was agreed with his ‘daughters’, but Mr Flatt’s stepdaughter Susan Rogan said no such discussion had taken place. A man with Down’s syndrome took legal action against an NHS hospital after a ‘do not resuscitate’ order was allegedly put on his file without his family’s knowledge. MailOnline reported in September 2012 how a note on the 51-year-old’s medical record said he should not be revived if he had a heart attack or stopped breathing, apparently on the basis of his disability. His family said they were not told about the DNR order, despite visiting him almost daily during his three-week stay at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent. His horrified relatives only learned about the instruction when one of the man’s carers found it folded up in his bag after he was discharged. Lawyers for the man, identified only as AWA, said the choice to withhold life-saving treatment on the basis of his learning difficulties was ‘nothing short of blatant prejudice’. East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has not yet commented on the case’s progression, and has been contacted today. Mrs Flatt said: ‘My daughter went into shock. She is not aware of it. John is her stepdad and she is heartbroken. ‘She said “What would have happened if anything had happened to him? Would you ever have forgiven me?”’ The nurse brought the surgeon into the ward to officially rescind the order before the surgery. But now they want answers to the alleged lack of . proper communication which could have cost the life of Mr Flatt, who has prostate . cancer and is in the early stages of dementia. Dr Alistair Turnbull, spokesman for York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, said: ‘We were concerned to hear Mrs Flatt’s account. ‘Mrs Flatt has been in contact with us and we are continuing to work with her to provide answers to the issues she has raised regarding her husband’s time in hospital. ‘The hospital has very clear guidance around good practice when making decisions about resuscitation. 'So fundamental is this that we audit regularly our clinical teams’ performance in this area. 'The guidance includes discussion with patients and their families. 'The form used in the Trust and across the region is partly a record of that discussion and reflects both the appropriateness of attempted resuscitation and the wishes of our patient and their loved ones.’
John Flatt, 82, was waiting for an operation to change a kidney stent .
Nurse checked with his wife Anne whether the DNR order still stood .
But she claimed she had never even been consulted about the order .
Mrs Flatt makes formal complaint to hospital and wants investigation .
By . Mark Duell . The family of an 82-year-old man in hospital for routine surgery found a ‘do not resuscitate’ order in his notes - written without their permission, it was claimed today. John Flatt was waiting for an operation at York Hospital to change a kidney stent under general anaesthetic when a nurse checked with his wife Anne whether the DNR order still stood. But Mrs Flatt, 70, claimed she had never even been consulted about the order. She has now made a formal complaint to the hospital and asked for a full investigation. Shock: John Flatt (left) was waiting for an operation at York Hospital to change a kidney stent under general anaesthetic when a nurse checked with his wife Anne (right) whether the DNR order still stood . Guidelines from the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing both state that, in all cases, DNR orders should only be issued after discussion with patients or their family. She said: ‘The whole thing is very bizarre and could have had terrible consequences. I’m disgusted with what’s happened. John is not going out of my sight. ‘He has his age against him and a heart condition - and if anything had happened they would just look at the form and leave him. ‘What happened is shrouded in mystery. It’s not a situation that should just be put on the back burner because of the potential consequences for other people.’ A staff nurse alerted the family to the instructions, signed by a doctor when he was in hospital in November last year. DNR order: Mrs Flatt has made a formal complaint to York Hospital (pictured) and asked for a full investigation . The form indicates the matter was agreed with his ‘daughters’, but Mr Flatt’s stepdaughter Susan Rogan said no such discussion had taken place. A man with Down’s syndrome took legal action against an NHS hospital after a ‘do not resuscitate’ order was allegedly put on his file without his family’s knowledge. MailOnline reported in September 2012 how a note on the 51-year-old’s medical record said he should not be revived if he had a heart attack or stopped breathing, apparently on the basis of his disability. His family said they were not told about the DNR order, despite visiting him almost daily during his three-week stay at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent. His horrified relatives only learned about the instruction when one of the man’s carers found it folded up in his bag after he was discharged. Lawyers for the man, identified only as AWA, said the choice to withhold life-saving treatment on the basis of his learning difficulties was ‘nothing short of blatant prejudice’. East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has not yet commented on the case’s progression, and has been contacted today. Mrs Flatt said: ‘My daughter went into shock. She is not aware of it. John is her stepdad and she is heartbroken. ‘She said “What would have happened if anything had happened to him? Would you ever have forgiven me?”’ The nurse brought the surgeon into the ward to officially rescind the order before the surgery. But now they want answers to the alleged lack of . proper communication which could have cost the life of Mr Flatt, who has prostate . cancer and is in the early stages of dementia. Dr Alistair Turnbull, spokesman for York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, said: ‘We were concerned to hear Mrs Flatt’s account. ‘Mrs Flatt has been in contact with us and we are continuing to work with her to provide answers to the issues she has raised regarding her husband’s time in hospital. ‘The hospital has very clear guidance around good practice when making decisions about resuscitation. 'So fundamental is this that we audit regularly our clinical teams’ performance in this area. 'The guidance includes discussion with patients and their families. 'The form used in the Trust and across the region is partly a record of that discussion and reflects both the appropriateness of attempted resuscitation and the wishes of our patient and their loved ones.’
Flatt was waiting for an operation at York Hospital to change a kidney stent under general Anne whether the DNR order still stood. But Mrs Flatt, 70, claimed she had never even been consulted about the order. She has now made a formal complaint to the hospital and asked for a when a nurse checked with his wife Anne (right)