Catholic Medical Quarterly Vol 76 (2) May 2026
Correspondence
From Our Duty of Care
I want to share with you the very disturbing story of Adrian Poulton, a 56-year-old man with Down Syndrome from Dorset.
Mr Poulton was admitted to Poole Hospital in September 2021 with a
broken hip after a fall.
While being treated, he was mistakenly
listed as ‘NIL by mouth’ by doctors and was fed nothing for nine days.
Adrian’s father, Derek Poulton, told ITV News:
“Not being medical, we just naturally thought he was having nutrition, a feed [through a drip].
“But as it turns out, they were starving him.”
Adrian’s sister said:
“We were just so worried.
“He was really poorly. He did look at me and dad...
“He said to me, 'Lesley, I don’t want to die'.”
“He knew he was going to die. It was just awful."
By the time Adrian's family realised he wasn't being fed, it was too
late.
He died on 28 September 2021, just two weeks after being
admitted to hospital.
A lack of nutrition contributed to Adrian’s death.
An investigation recommended that University Hospitals Dorset NHS Trust provide its staff with specialist training in caring for patients with learning disabilities.
From Dr Tony Warren, former Treasurer of the CMA
We live in difficult times but should not be afraid to stand out for our values and standards.
I heard a radio broadcast where the BPAS, Marie Stopes and various pro-choice organizations were speaking. The BMA seems no better.
Nobody could explain or justify the exponential rise in Abortions in the last few years. The figures speak for themselves. A way forward is just to ask questions as to why this is happening and what sort of society are we producing?
Educating the younger societal members is the key