Confused man can be sedated in order to give him cancer treatment, rules judge

Doctors can sedate a man found walking the streets in a confused state in order to provide cancer treatment, a judge has ruled.

Ms Justice Russell on Monday concluded that the man, who is in his 50s, did not have the mental capacity to make decisions about care after analysing his case at a hearing in a specialist court.

She ruled that doctors could sedate the man in order to provide life-saving chemotherapy following a hearing in the Court of Protection – where judges consider issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to make decisions – in London.

The judge ruled that the man, who lives in the London area, could not be named.

She said bosses at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had responsibility for his care.

Lawyers representing the trust said the man had cancer and would die without chemotherapy.

Nicola Greaney, who led the trust’s legal team, said the man pulled out tubes used to provide medicine.

She said bosses wanted a judge to approve sedation.

Miss Greaney said the man was “found walking the streets in a confused state” in February and trust staff had not been able to trace any family members.

Staff at the office of the Official Solicitor, who represent people unable to make decisions, had been appointed to safeguard the man’s interests.

Miss Greaney said they had no objections to doctors’ proposals and Ms Justice Russell approved a treatment plan.

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