Continuing medical treatment of ward is conditional upon her being agreeable to accepting the said care

Ward of Court – anorexia nervosa – involuntary admission to psychiatric unit and specialist hospital for treatment – treated on a coercive basis – best interests test – worsening of medical condition – extensive history of condition – invocation of wardship jurisdiction – permission to employ feeding and use reasonable force and restraints – treatment in the United Kingdom – ward of court seemed willing to engage in treatment – modification of order directing her to continue living at home – if admitted on a coercive basis to hospital, clinicians were not permitted to use force to administer feeding – involuntary admission to Mental Health Unit – Ward of court gave evidence and indicated her distress and desire to be out of the wardship process – on review proposed that no coercive treatment be provided – in hospital at the time of the application by way of voluntary self-admission – medical evidence – mortality risk – lacks capacity to refuse re-feeding treatment – report on behalf of the Committee for the ward – no opposition from any party as to the proposed approach of the HSE – circumstances in which life-saving treatment may be withheld – substituted consent – doctors indicated that they propose only to engage in care if they consider it in her best interests and she agrees to same – coerced feeding is enormously invasive – compulsory admission to hospital also impacts on her right to bodily integrity – coercive treatment not improving prospects of recovery – views of the ward and her family considered – doctors in agreement that on-going coercive treatment should not be provided - treatment may negatively impact the right to life also – constitutional right to privacy, bodily integrity and autonomy – dignity in life and death – best interest are that no further coercive treatment should be provided – long duration of the illness and age of the patient – continuation of care conditional on it being in the best interests of the ward and the ward being agreeable to accepting said care – acceptance of treatment does not equate to capacity to consent – satisfied that she continues to lack capacity – not necessary for the clinicians to seek leave of the court to approve the treatment they deem appropriate.