Paralysed and brain-damaged Covid grandmother "can be allowed to die" at Addenbrooke's Hospital

A family has lost its fight to keep a grandmother paralysed by Covid alive after a second judge ruled she should be allowed to die.

Relatives have been battling to keep treatment at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge going, against the advice of medics treating her.

The woman, who is in her 50s, has been described as the most complicated Covid patient in the world and has been in hospital since the end of 2020.

Mrs Justice Theis has now ruled that life-support treatment can end, and that the woman can be allowed to die, after reconsidering arguments.

Following the ruling, Ashley Shaw, medical director at Cambridge University Hospitals, called it a "devastatingly sad situation" and said the hospital's "overriding consideration remains to act in the best interests of our patient".

He added: "This is a rare condition resulting in catastrophic and irreversible brain damage and our doctors have explored every medical treatment. Independent medical experts and a highly experienced Court of Protection judge have agreed with our teams that further treatment to prolong life would only extend the patient's suffering."

Last week, Mrs Justice Their examined up-to-date evidence at a hearing in the Court of Protection, where issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to make decisions are considered, over two days in London.

Another judge had originally considered the case at a hearing in the Court of Protection in August.

At that time, Mr Justice Hayden concluded that life-support treatment should end in October and ruled that the woman should be allowed to die.

The woman's adult children challenged his ruling in the Court of Appeal.

Appeal judges upheld their challenge and said the case should be reheard - Mrs Justice Theis then oversaw a second Court of Protection trial.

Relatives told Mrs Justice Theis that in the past four months they had seen a "bubblier" person and someone who was "more alert and aware".

But specialists treating her said she had deteriorated since August.

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Judge rules Addenbrooke's patient paralysed by Covid should be allowed to die

Mrs Justice Theis said the woman, referred to as AH in court papers, could not be identified in media reports.

In a ruling published on Tuesday, Mrs Justice Theis said her decision had taken into account the "strong presumption that it is in AH's best interest to stay alive, which would accord with her religious beliefs and is something her family strongly wish to happen".

But she concluded the fact there was little prospect of change in her condition, and further deterioration was likely over many months, outweighed that argument.

"I am acutely aware this is not the outcome this family would want," she added.

Mrs Justice Theis said the woman's relatives could not have done more.

"The family members who have been a party to these proceedings have each acted with admirable dignity, bearing in mind the consequences for each of them of the decision the court was being asked to make.

"I have no doubt AH as a daughter, sister, mother and grandmother would have been proud of what they have done, as she clearly has been about each of them during her life prior to December 2020.

"They could not have done more for her and I hope now will be able to come to terms with the decision the court has made, acknowledging how difficult that will be for each of them."

Addenbrooke's Hospital said it would continue to work closely with the family.