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Release 6: deep research into refusals of treatment

Posted by
Sarah Malik
Published

This week we did a deep dive into how refusals of treatment work within the advance decision form. This post is also a showcase of all the markdown components available for future posts.

Headings

You can use headings from level 2 (##) down to level 4 (####) to structure your content. Level 1 is reserved for the page title.

This is a level 3 heading

Use these for subsections within your main sections.

This is a level 4 heading

Use these sparingly, for smaller groupings within subsections.

Text formatting

You can make text bold or italic or even bold and italic. You can also use strikethrough for deleted content.

For technical content, you might need superscript like E=mc2 or subscript like H2O.

Here are different ways to add links:

Lists

Unordered list

Key findings from our research:

  • Users found the terminology confusing
  • The form was too long for mobile devices
  • People wanted more examples
    • Specific medical scenarios
    • Real-life case studies
    • Video explanations

Ordered list

Steps to complete the refusal of treatment section:

  1. Read the guidance notes
  2. Consider which treatments to refuse
  3. Discuss with your GP if unsure
  4. Complete the relevant sections
  5. Have the form witnessed

Description list

Key terms we’re clarifying in this release:

Advance decision
A legally binding document that lets you refuse specific medical treatments in advance.
Mental capacity
The ability to make a specific decision at the time it needs to be made.
Lasting Power of Attorney
A legal document that lets you appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf.

Blockquotes

Feedback from user research:

I didn’t understand what ‘life-sustaining treatment’ meant. I needed more examples to help me decide what to include.

You can also nest blockquotes:

The form was clear overall, but…

The section on CPR was confusing. I wasn’t sure if I was refusing it or requesting it.

Code

For technical documentation, you can use inline code for short snippets.

For longer blocks, use fenced code blocks with syntax highlighting:

<button class="nhsuk-button" type="submit">
  Save and continue
</button>

function validateForm(form) {
  const requiredFields = form.querySelectorAll('[required]');
  return Array.from(requiredFields).every(field => field.value);
}

Tables

Treatment type Can be refused? Notes
CPR Yes Most common refusal
Ventilation Yes Often linked to CPR
Antibiotics Yes Context dependent
Pain relief Usually no Comfort care typically continues

Images

You can add images with captions:

Placeholder image description
Example caption text for the image

Horizontal rules

Use horizontal rules to separate distinct sections:

Alerts and callouts

Note:

This is a note callout - useful for additional information.

Tip:

This is a tip callout - useful for helpful suggestions.

Important:

This is an important callout - useful for key information.

Warning:

This is a warning callout - useful for cautions.

Caution:

This is a caution callout - useful for potential negative consequences.

Footnotes

Our research showed that 73% of users wanted clearer examples1, and 45% requested video guidance2.

What’s next

In the coming weeks, we’ll be:

  • Testing the revised content with users
  • Working with clinical advisors on the medical terminology
  • Preparing for the Release 7 deployment