Alfie Evans And Medical Care Abroad

EDM number 1221 in 2017-19, proposed by Jeffrey Donaldson on 01/05/2018.
Categorised under the topics of Children and families, Health services and Patient rights and complaints.

That this House is saddened by the death of Alfie Evans, four days after his life-sustaining treatment was withdrawn; notes the recent denial of Alfie's parents' plea to continue with compassionate medical care in a hospital in Italy; is concerned that in such a request a patient or their relatives are severely disadvantaged by the fact that no or insufficient evidence is considered from the foreign medical authorities to be able to adequately assess whether seeking medical assistance abroad is in the best interest of the patient; and calls on the Government to review the current approach to such requests to ensure that patients are not effectively prevented from seeking medical care abroad, especially in circumstances where a hospital abroad is willing and able to provide the required medical care, the needed medical treatment is not available in the UK, or the patient is a citizen of another country and further to consider what new arrangements will need to be put in place after the UK leaves the EU to facilitate individuals seeking medical care abroad.

This motion has been signed by a total of 10 MPs.