Sons must abide by decision not to allow their father to have a nasogastric at home

The four sons of an elderly man with end stage dementia have lost a legal battle for the right to have him at home with a nasogastric (NG) tube in place, in the latest acrimonious dispute between treating doctors and patients’ relatives over end of life care.1

Three Appeal Court judges refused permission for the family to appeal against Mrs Justice Parker’s High Court ruling that it would not be in RW’s best interests to be discharged with the nasogastric tube.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London, which is caring for RW, agreed with his sons that he should be discharged home. The local clinical commissioning group …