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Best interests decision unavailable where only one clinical option: Re AA [2024] EWCOP 39 - Court of Protection (England and Wales) declines purposeless declarations; clinicians cannot be compelled; delay criticised

Published on: 13 September 2024

Published by a LexisNexis Family expert
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Re AA (withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment: no best interests decision) [2024] EWCOP 39 (T3) What are the practical implications of this case?

This judgment usefully and clearly reaffirms a number of fundamental principles that can at times be overlooked in serious medical treatment applications in the Court of Protection, namely:

  • The court’s role is strictly confined to selecting between treatment choices actually available to the patient. Where a clinician offers no alternative option, there is no best interests decision for the court to determine on the patient’s behalf;
  • A patient cannot demand that a doctor administer any particular treatment, and nor can the court compel it: see Re Y [2018] UKSC 46;
  • It is an abuse of process to seek a best interests declaration under the MCA 2005 to try to persuade a clinician to provide treatment when none is being offered: see AVS v A NHS Foundation Trust and another [2011] EWCA Civ 7...

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