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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| David James death: Doctors 'right' to withhold treatment | David James death: Doctors 'right' to withhold treatment |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Judges were right to allow doctors to withhold treatment from a "gravely ill" guitarist, the Supreme Court has ruled. | Judges were right to allow doctors to withhold treatment from a "gravely ill" guitarist, the Supreme Court has ruled. |
| David James, 68, of Liverpool, died in 2012, days after doctors successfully argued in court that stopping treatment was in his best interests. | David James, 68, of Liverpool, died in 2012, days after doctors successfully argued in court that stopping treatment was in his best interests. |
| Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was "pleased" the Court of Appeal ruling was upheld. | Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was "pleased" the Court of Appeal ruling was upheld. |
| Mr James' family are considering a further appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. | Mr James' family are considering a further appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. |
| 'Emotional but important' | |
| Mr James, a grandfather and father-of-three, was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2001 and recovered. | |
| In 2012, he was admitted to hospital where he contracted an infection and became "gravely ill" due to other medical conditions. | |
| Mr James was in intensive care for seven months and was "critically ill and steadily deteriorating", doctors said. | |
| They said he had a range of problems, including multi-organ failure. | |
| The hospital initially asked a High Court judge in the Court of Protection to agree they should withhold treatment if his condition deteriorated. | |
| Mr Justice Peter Jackson rejected the hospital's argument and sided with relatives, who opposed the hospital's application. | |
| But that decision was overturned when the hospital took their case to the Court of Appeal. | |
| His widow May said Mr Justice Peter Jackson's decision was right and suggested that the Court of Appeal ruling undermined the "protection" given by "legal presumption in favour of preservation of life". | |
| After the Supreme Court's ruling was announced, Mr James' family said: "It's what we expected." | |
| A spokesman for the trust said: "It is clear that decisions surrounding best interests in some complex cases remain a difficult balancing exercise. | |
| "This was an emotional but important case for all involved. | |
| "The outcome does not detract from our sincere condolences to Mr James' family for their loss." | |
| The Court of Protection, which is part of the High Court, analyses issues relating to sick and vulnerable people. |