The Supreme Court has announced that it will consider an appeal from Archie Battersbee’s family not to turn off their son’s life support - on the same day that it was due to be withdrawn.
In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, the Court said that a panel of three Justices would consider an appeal by the 12-year-old’s parents to continue his life-sustaining treatment. His care will continue until the appeal is concluded.
Archie’s parents Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee last week made an application to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to review his case, and the committee issued a request that the UK Government “refrain from withdrawing” his treatment while it considers their complaint.
However, a letter sent on Sunday on behalf of Health Secretary Steve Barclay requested that the matter be urgently reviewed by the courts and a Court of Appeal hearing was held on Monday, following which three senior judges refused to further extend the stay on withdrawing Archie’s treatment.
Following the news of the Supreme Court appeal, Ms Dance said: “We are having to battle over every decision with the hospital.
“There is nothing dignified in how we are being treated as a family in this situation.
“We do not understand what the rush is and why all of our wishes are being denied.
“I know Archie’s still with us. Archie’s showing very different signs to what the clinicians are actually putting over to the courts.
“He’s very much there, he’s progressing in so many ways.
“We pray for an encouraging response from the Supreme Court.”
A spokesman for the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting the legal action brought by Archie’s parents, said the hospital trust has confirmed it will not take any steps to withdraw treatment until the Supreme Court has reached a decision.
