Supreme Court to rule on anonymity for doctors in end-of-life cases

Christian campaigners and families affected by controversial end-of-life treatment decisions have said they hope the Supreme Court will uphold an earlier judgment that overturned life-long anonymity protection for doctors involved in such medical cases. 

A hearing will happen on the Supreme Court over two days, starting Monday, to determine which powers courts need to issue injunctions that prevent the naming of doctors and hospital staff involved in decisions to finish the life-sustaining treatment of youngsters.

The Court of Appeal ruled in March last 12 months to finish medical anonymity in end-of-life cases. 

Christian Concern CEO, Andrea Williams, said it was vital that the Supreme Court upholds the Court of Appeal’s judgment. 

“The Court of Appeal ruling set proper limits to the secrecy of family courts proceedings,” she said. 

“Withdrawal of life support from a toddler is the gravest decision which the doctors and judges can ever make. Transparency is crucial to make sure proper scrutiny of those decisions by the general public and particularly by the medical occupation.

“We know from experience that even in cases of profound disagreements between families and doctors, most families have lots of praise for health professionals who had done their best for his or her child. There may sometimes be criticisms of particular actions by particular doctors.

“The best solution to get to the reality of the matter is thru open courts. Professionals who’ve done nothing flawed don’t have anything to fear from transparency. It is now crucial for the Supreme Court to uphold the Court of Appeal’s ruling.”

Doctors Rashid and Aliya Abbasi, who lost their daughter Zainab in 2019 after life-sustaining treatment was ended, said they were “rendered powerless to take effective motion by the injunctions the hospital obtained which served only to guard a toxic culture which puts doctors’ interests before those of their patients”.

“The transparency which the Court of Appeal has endorsed will ensure proper accountability throughout the medical occupation and help restore ethical standards and public trust within the NHS,” they said. 

Lanre Haastrup, whose son Isaiah died at 12 months old after a High Court battle, said, “We were very encouraged by the Court of Appeal ruling and had hoped that we might finally have the ability to receive justice for Isaiah, and to have the ability to inform his story.

“Through this case we’ve at all times desired to shine the sunshine of truth on what happened to Isaiah to hunt justice for him and be certain that in future other families won’t need to suffer what we went through as his parents.”