Should Jean be given the money?: A Twitter Poll exploration of consent and patient-centred care

Abstract

I recently created a Twitter Poll with the following question: ‘Jean is 81 and is being offered palliative chemotherapy (cost £38 000) which she does not want. She would like to visit her daughter in Australia one last time (cost £1500), but she cannot afford to. Should Jean be given the money?’ Jean is hypothetical, though she is not unlike many of the patients I see in general practice. There was really too little information in the post to answer fully. Would Jean be given the £38 000, or just £1500? Where would this come from? The implication was that this would come from chemotherapy savings, but that may set precedents. Some responders pointed these difficulties out. What would happen about travel …