The mother of brain damaged woman is seeking a court order to stop her daughter’s life-sustaining treatment. The hearing started yesterday (18 July) and is expected to continue for another nine days.
The patient, described as “M” for confidentiality reasons, was admitted to hospital in 2003, then aged 43, with a disabling condition which had caused severe damage to her brain, causing her to slip into a “minimally conscious state” (MCS).
As a result, M has been kept on life-support treatment for several years, which includes provision for nutrition and hydration.
Being in a MCS is considered to be less severe than being in a “persistent vegetative state”, as people recover from MCS and in some cases go on to lead almost normal lives.
Supported by other family members, M’s mother has made an application to the Court of Protection, a specialist court dealing with issues relating to patients who lack the capacity to make specific decisions for themselves, to withdraw her daughter’s nutrition and hydration on the basis that her daughter “would not wish to continue living in her current state” and “that it is not in her interests to do so”.
This is a landmark case because nobody has ever asked the Court of Protection to order the removal of food and water from a patient who is in a MCS. The application is being strongly opposed by the Official Solicitor, who represents M's interests.
Peter Saunders, CEO of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said:
“This is a landmark case which, if successful, will radically redraw the law in this country and place the lives of many more disabled people at risk. Withdrawing nutrition and hydration from non-dying patients with the explicit intention of ending their lives is euthanasia by omission.”
Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said:
“Vulnerable people need to be protected when they are in this situation. If this case is successful then it will be a step closer towards full blown euthanasia.”
Links
Andrea’s Blog: Still able to speak yet under threat of death
Christian Concern: End of Life