A FRAIL grandmother has described her lucky escape from death amid claims medics issued a ‘do not resuscitate’ notice without her permission.

Margaret Shatford, 82, said she only discovered the non-resuscitation order - or DNR - when she returned home following weeks in hospital.

The order, which was authorised on April 20, had been in place for more than a month while she had been in hospital with chest problems.

Daughter Lorraine Hunter, 58, also insists she did not give permission for the DNR, and got the notice revoked within 48 hours of her mum returning home on May 24.

However NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have refuted the claims and say Margaret and Lorraine consented.

The family, from Sandyhills, have branded the situation “an utter disgrace” and are now demanding answers.

Lorraine said: “My mum was in hospital for quite a while with chest problems. She went in to the Royal and then to Stobhill, numerous times.

“After a week one of the doctors took me aside and said ‘Your mum is a very ill lady and if something else happens we will not resuscitate.’

“They said my mum was old and frail and didn’t think she would survive it as she had fluid in her lungs.

“I just looked at her and said ‘Excuse me? You will be resuscitating my mother.’

“That doctor knew my wishes. I asked them to resuscitate my mum if anything happened.

“That’s not their decision, this should have been a decision we made as a family.

“I made it perfectly clear I was not giving permission and there’s no way they spoke to my mum either, she was too unwell.

“The doctor knew exactly how I felt, I couldn’t have been more clear.”

After weeks in hospital, Margaret had recovered enough to return home and was brought by ambulance back to Sandyhills on May 24.

Among the documents handed to her by the ambulance crew was the DNR notice, which stated the order had been in place since April 20th.

Margaret said she felt “angry” and “upset” when she found the document.

She said: “I was quite angry to see it.

“Of course I don’t want to die. I’m going on holiday next week.

“Nothing was discussed with me about that, nobody spoke to me and asked me about it. I was quite upset. I'm lucky to be here I suppose.”

A vital section of the document which is supposed to be completed when the patient returns home had been left blank.

Neither ‘yes’ nor ‘no’ has been selected under the question ‘Have the patient/relevant others been made aware that a DNACPR order is in place?’

Elsewhere in the document it has been ticked that the decision was discussed with the patient, but does not give her name.

Margaret and Lorraine contacted their local MSP who has submitted a complaint on their behalf to the health board.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have contacted the family to arrange a meeting, but insist they did have permission for the legal order.

A spokeswoman said: “We dispute that a DNR was not discussed with this family.

“Our records clearly show that this was discussed with the patient and a member of her family and consent was given at the time of that discussion.

We want to emphasise that protocols and procedures are in place to ensure that DNR is not applied without the matter having been discussed and agreed between the healthcare professionals caring for a patient and the patient and/or the patient’s family.

We would be happy to discuss in detail with Ms Shatford and her family to share the written record of a meeting between them and our clinical staff should they wish to make contact with us.”