The family of Archie Battersbee family has been told that his life-sustaining treatment will be withdrawn from 10am on Saturday (August 6), campaign group Christian Concern has said. Barts Health NHS Trust said its position remains the same in that no changes will be made to Archie’s care “until the outstanding legal issues are resolved”.
Mum Hollie Dance and dad Paul Battersbee had spent Friday challenging the High Court ruling made in the morning. That judgement stated that the boy should remain in hospital while his life-sustaining treatment is withdrawn.
Mrs Justice Theis said: “Archie’s best interests must remain at the core of any conclusions reached by this court. When considering the wishes of the family, why those wishes are held, the facilities at the hospice, what Archie is likely to have wanted, … the risks involved in a transfer … and the increasing fragility of his medical condition, I am satisfied that when looking at the balancing exercise again his best interests remain as set out (in the ruling of July 15), that he should remain at the hospital when treatment is withdrawn.
