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Category: Medical treatment


Brain stem death, an explainer of the law in England & Wales, and a question of consent

Posted on 25 September 2023 Updated on 1 March 2025

The case of Andy Casey sheds light again on the difficult question of diagnosing death by neurological criteria (‘DNC’), and… Read more

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Posted in Case comments, Medical treatment     Tags: Brain stem death     Leave a comment     


When does disbelieving your doctor shade into incapacity? What place diagnosis in the MCA test?

Posted on 1 September 2023

The desperately sad case of An NHS Trust v ST & Anor [2023] EWCOP 40 provides an example of how… Read more

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Posted in Capacity, Case comments, Medical treatment     Tags: assessing capacity, medical treatment, mental capacity     Leave a comment     


‘Warehousing’ and the limits of appropriate treatment under the MHA 1983 – important new Upper Tribunal case

Posted on 25 August 2023 Updated on 21 September 2023

The issue facing the Upper Tribunal in SF v Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership [2023] UKUT 205 (AAC) was crisply… Read more

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Posted in Case comments, Medical treatment, Mental Health     Tags: Mental health, MHA 1983     Leave a comment     


Dialysis and different realities – the Court of Protection has to decide

Posted on 23 August 2023

In Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust v JM & Anor [2023] EWCOP 38, Hayden J has helpfully reminded us of… Read more

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Posted in Best interests, Case comments, Medical treatment     Tags: Best interests, CRPD, medical treatment     Leave a comment     


The Court of Protection faces an agonising dilemma (and why belief is not the same as proof)

Posted on 17 August 2023

Barnet Enfield And Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust & Anor v Mr K & Ors [2023] EWCOP 35 concerned the… Read more

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Posted in Best interests, Capacity, Case comments, Medical treatment     Tags: Best interests, capacity, medical treatment     Leave a comment     


The limits of autonomy – what happens where healthcare professionals consider the choice too risky?

Posted on 25 July 2023

R (JJ) v Spectrum Community Healthcare CIC [2023] EWCA Civ 885, a decision of the Court of Appeal handed down… Read more

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Posted in Case comments, Medical treatment     Tags: medical treatment     2 Comments     


Deciding what alternative treatments are reasonable: a task for the doctor or the patient? The Supreme Court decides

Posted on 12 July 2023 Updated on 12 July 2023

In a decision handed down with considerable speed (the hearing being on 10-11 May 2023, and judgment being delivered on… Read more

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Posted in Case comments, Medical treatment     Tags: medical treatment, Negligence     Leave a comment     


Restraint, physical health and the detained patient: the rights in play

Posted on 1 July 2023 Updated on 1 July 2023

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust v HJ [2023] EWFC 92 concerned the question of whether specific authorisation is required… Read more

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Posted in Best interests, Case comments, Deprivation of liberty, Inherent jurisdiction, Medical treatment     Tags: Best interests, deprivation of liberty, medical treatment     Leave a comment     


What should happen where it appears impossible to engage the person? A high-stakes question for the Court of Protection

Posted on 19 June 2023 Updated on 20 June 2023

In Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust & Anor v RL & Ors [2023] EWCOP 22 (a decision handed down in… Read more

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Posted in Best interests, Capacity, Case comments, Medical treatment, Mental Health     Tags: assessing capacity, Best interests, capacity, communication     Leave a comment     


Reporting restrictions and serious medical treatment cases – a difficult (evidenced) balance

Posted on 31 March 2023 Updated on 4 April 2023

In the conjoined appeals of Abbasi and Haastrup [2023] EWCA Civ 331, the Court of Appeal has grappled with the… Read more

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Posted in Case comments, Media, Medical treatment, Practice and Procedure     Tags: Media, medical treatment, practice and procedure     Leave a comment     


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Recent Posts

  • Book review: Consenting Children (Lisa Forsberg, Isra Black and Anthony Skelton (eds))

    16 November 2025
    Book Review: Lisa Forsberg, Isra Black and Anthony Skelton (eds), Consenting Children: Autonomy, Responsibility, Well-Being (Liverpool University Press: Proceedings of... …Read More »
  • Holding the risk in medical treatment cases

    8 November 2025
    Re RS (Best Interests: Surgery and Intensive Care) [2025] EWCOP 38 (T3) is a case which demonstrates the care and... …Read More »
  • November 2025 39 Essex Chambers Mental Capacity Report now out – and walkthrough

    7 November 2025
    The November 2025 Mental Capacity Report is now out.  Highlights this month include: (1) In the Health, Welfare and Deprivation... …Read More »
  • Capacity, decisions to end one’s own life, and the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

    7 November 2025
    Following on from my evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee considering the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)... …Read More »
  • Is mental capacity law law? In conversation with Professor John Coggon

    7 November 2025
    In this ‘in conversation with,’ I talk to Professor John Coggon about his – deliberately! – provocative new paper Is... …Read More »

RSS National Archives Mental Capacity cases

  • Daly v His Majesty’s Advocate (Scotland) 12 November 2025
  • RS (Best Interests: Surgery and Intensive Care), Re 5 November 2025
  • Andrew Grijns v Janice Grijns & Ors 5 November 2025
  • Adam Clive Scott v The Estate of Richard Norman Scott & Ors 29 October 2025
  • Nottinghamshire County Council v SV & Anor 28 October 2025
  • Medway Council v M & Anor (Assessment of capacity) 22 October 2025
  • A London NHS Trust v DT & Ors (Brain Stem Testing) 21 October 2025
  • Fiona Burgess v Julie Elizabeth Whittle & Anor 16 October 2025
  • KP (Termination of Pregnancy), Re 13 October 2025
  • Steven Maile & Anor v Ruth Elizabeth Maile & Ors 6 October 2025

RSS National Archives Mental Health Act cases

  • Adam Clive Scott v The Estate of Richard Norman Scott & Ors 29 October 2025
  • Khamba & Ors v Harrow London Borough Council & Ors 29 October 2025
  • Medway Council v M & Anor (Assessment of capacity) 22 October 2025
  • Andrew Breeze & Anor v Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary 17 October 2025
  • Sean McDwyer v Zadar Municipal Court (Croatia) 17 October 2025
  • Abbotsley Limited & Anor v Pheasantland Limited & Ors 13 October 2025
  • Steven Maile & Anor v Ruth Elizabeth Maile & Ors 6 October 2025
  • Avista Limited v Care Quality Commission 6 October 2025
  • CD v Disclosure and Barring Service 1 October 2025
  • Rohit Kulkarni v Gwent Holdings Limited & Anor 26 September 2025

RSS Mental Health Law Online updates

  • NHS commissioning. NHS England, 'Who Pays? Determining which NHS commissioner is responsible for commissioning healthcare services and making payments to providers' (v4, July 2025)
  • T129. T129: Your rights to legal representation and to see the tribunal doctor (09.25)
  • T111. Form T111: Referral to First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health) (09.25)
  • Job advert. DAC Beachcroft, Bristol - Court of Protection solicitor/associate.
  • MHCS update. Ministry of Justice, 'Mental Health Casework Section stakeholder update' (October 2025)
  • Case (Suicide of detained patient). Saranveer Sihota: Chesterfield Borough Council (PFD report, 23 October 2025)
  • Tribunal victims guidance. Practice Guidance on procedure for handling representations from victims in the mental health jurisdiction of the HESC chamber (Practice guidance no 2 of 2025, 27 May 2025)
  • Overseas witnesses and observers. HESC, 'Taking oral evidence from abroad and representatives and observers appearing from abroad' (Presidential Guidance Note No 1 of 2022, September 2022)
  • T144. Form T144: Victim representations and Victim Impact Statement (09.25)
  • T114. Form T114: Witness expenses and guidelines (09.25)

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