The Supreme Court is today hearing argument in Abbasi v Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Haastrup v King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
The appeals concern reporting restrictions in two ‘end of life’ cases. The parents of two deceased children wish to speak publicly about the care their children received from the Appellant NHS trusts and, in doing so, be free to identify the NHS staff who were involved in their children’s care.
There are, however, reporting restriction orders in place to prevent disclosure of the treating clinicians’ identities. The High Court refused the parents’ applications to lift those restrictions. The Court of Appeal allowed the parents’ appeal, and the trusts now appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Free Speech Union Ltd intervenes by way of written submissions, in relation to the human rights issues in the appeal.
Tom Cross and Raphael Hogarth act for the Free Speech Union, instructed by Branch Austin McCormick.
