It is legal to not discuss resuscitation with patients with mental capacity in which of the following scenarios:

A patient with mental capacity would like to be for resuscitation, but the consensus of his medical team is that resuscitation would be futile on account of critical (and non-operable) aortic stenosis and end stage heart failure.  Legally the team are obliged to attempt CPR: True or false?

A 17 year old can sign an Advance Directive in England: True or false?

A patient who lacks mental capacity on account of Huntington’s disease is admitted to hospital critically unwell with sepsis.  They have a material risk of deterioration and requiring intensive care treatment and life support – but doubts exist about their baseline quality of life and whether this would be in their best interests.  They have no family available and have no recorded next of kin.

Who should be approached to consult about resuscitation decisions?

A patient with advanced motor neuron disease arrives at hospital critically unwell with an aspiration pneumonia.  They have brought a valid Advance Directive with them refusing invasive ventilation and level three care in this sort of scenario.

Their next of kin arrives and asserts that “Everything should be done” to attempt to cure the pneumonia as the patient had appeared much more well only a day ago.  What is the correct course of action?

The same next of kin then says that the patient was coerced into signing the Advance Directive by his son, who had put pressure on his father to sign the form due to concerns about the pressure a long illness in his father would place on the rest of the family.  What is the correct way to proceed?