University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust v Miss K [2021] EWCOP 40

Caesarean - severe criticism of Trust (1) The application should have been made significantly earlier than the day before the proposed caesarean, and judicial criticism of delay felt like "a waste of breath" as it had been made so often. The Official Solicitor had been instructed the same day, and was unable to form a view on best interests, rendering her role effectively a "tick box exercise". (2) The Official Solicitor was "appalled" at the evidence of the consultant obstetrician, who decided that Miss K had capacity on 10/6/21 when she chose a caesarean on the basis that by giving birth sooner she could hold and keep safe her baby earlier, when in fact it had been decided on 20/5/21 that the local authority would take the baby so that when she woke up there would be no baby. (3) The court decided that a planned caesarean, Miss K having been taken from PICU to obstetric unit by force if necessary, was her best interests. In the event no force was necessary.