Supreme Court to hear Official Solicitor's appeal on treatment withdrawal today

A two day hearing at the Supreme Court starts today to look at whether decisions to withdraw CANH should have to be referred to a court, where medical experts and family agree with that course of action. 

The appeal has been brought by the Official Solicitor against the High Court decision in NHS Trust v Y & Anor [2017] EWHC 2866 (QB) where Mrs Justice O'Farrell granted a declaration to that effect, though in narrower terms than those sought.

The question before the Supreme Court is whether it is 

"mandatory to bring before the court the withdrawal of Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration ("CANH") from a patient who has a prolonged disorder of consciousness ("PDOC"), in circumstances where the clinical team and the family are agreed that it is not in the patient's best interests that he continues to receive that treatment?"​

The facts of the case behind the appeal can be read on the Supreme Court website and the proceedings will be broadcast live on the same website here.