By Sydney White, 18th November 2025 The protected party at the centre of this case, LV, is a 20-year-old woman diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, autism spectrum disorder, severe depression, and anxiety. At the time of the first Court of Protection hearing, in early 2025, she was an inpatient on a ward in a specialist eatingContinue reading “Feeding under sedation for anorexia nervosa: The outcome for LV [2025] EWCOP 9”
Tag Archives: Anorexia
Judge approves use of esketamine in anorexia case: Re CC
By Elissa Novak, 3rd February 2025 Despite her own best efforts, and the support of her family and those involved in her care, a 21-year-old autistic woman diagnosed with depression and anorexia nervosa is facing the very real prospect of death. This is the desperate situation at the heart of the hearing I observed (remotely) on 3rd DecemberContinue reading “Judge approves use of esketamine in anorexia case: Re CC”
An in-person hearing on anorexia (Re CC): Observer’s rollercoaster and the role of “hope”
By Sydney White, 21st November 2024 My experience observing the final hearing of Re CC (previous hearings blogged as: Respecting autonomy in treating anorexia nervosa and Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa: A brief directions hearing) was tumultuous in more ways than one. I’ll first describe my unusually challenging time as an in-person observer at the Royal Courts of Justice and howContinue reading “An in-person hearing on anorexia (Re CC): Observer’s rollercoaster and the role of “hope””
Respecting autonomy in treating Anorexia Nervosa
This case concerns a young woman with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa. A Trust seeks court declarations about her treatment.
Cross-jurisdictional challenges and Schedule 3 in a case of anorexia: Health Service Executive of Ireland v SM [2024] EWCOP 60
By Sydney White, 11th November 2024 This case (COP 13398706) concerns a young woman (SM) with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and a history of depressive episodes. She’s “habitually resident” in Ireland but has for some time been receiving treatment at Ellern Mede, a specialist eating disorder provider in England. Hayden J has heard this case beforeContinue reading “Cross-jurisdictional challenges and Schedule 3 in a case of anorexia: Health Service Executive of Ireland v SM [2024] EWCOP 60”
Anorexic woman gets to make her own (incapacitous) decisions, says Hayden J
By Celia Kitzinger, 19 May 2024 “It does not follow that when a judge is satisfied that the presumption of capacity has been rebutted that it is automatically incumbent on the court to take decisions for the protected party…. Sometimes it is in the best interests of the protected party to take decisions for themselves,Continue reading “Anorexic woman gets to make her own (incapacitous) decisions, says Hayden J”
A tribute to E: How anorexia and ‘Re E’ made me a Court of Protection lawyer
By Anonymous COP Lawyer, 3rd March 2024 (with commentary from barrister Pippa Pudney – keep scrolling down) In a recent blog post, Dr Ty Glover described his experiences working with anorexia nervosa patients, including ‘E’, whose prominent Court of Protection case in 2012 resulted in involuntary treatment being found to be in her best interests. ThisContinue reading “A tribute to E: How anorexia and ‘Re E’ made me a Court of Protection lawyer”
Expert witness in Anorexia cases
By Ty Glover, 25th February 2024 I’m a Consultant in Eating Disorders Psychiatry, an Independent Medicolegal Expert and a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists for over 25 years. My clinical career has been spent managing acutely unwell NHS patients in Independent Sector Hospitals, primarily patients suffering with severe Anorexia Nervosa but also thoseContinue reading “Expert witness in Anorexia cases”
Anorexia and refusing nutrition: An observer’s perspective on A Mental Health Trust v BG
By Charlotte Buck, 4th August 2022 This case concerned Anorexia and the refusal of clinically assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH) – another sad case brought before the Court of Protection for which the circumstances are all too familiar. I have always been interested in complex medical-ethical cases and, having volunteered on hospital wards for six weeks myself,Continue reading “Anorexia and refusing nutrition: An observer’s perspective on A Mental Health Trust v BG”
“I have reached a clear conclusion that AB lacks capacity to decide whether or not she should be tube fed.” – Commentary on Judgment
“…The outcome of the judgement is the same for AB, regardless of whether she is deemed to have capacity or not, since NG feeding is judged not to be in her best interests. But a judgement in line with our argument would have given effect to her autonomy and recognised that it is her decision to seek palliative care, rather than a best interests decision made by the judge on her behalf.”
Promoting Open Justice in the Court of Protection 