Woman ‘must be force fed’

She weighs 4st, court told

A WOMAN with anorexia who weighs just over four stone is to be fed through a tube on the order of the High Court as doctors try to save her life.

Judge Michael MacGrath was told it was a ‘life or death matter’ as he granted permission to the HSE to feed her.

These will include the immediate nasal gastric feeding of the young woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Paul Brady, for the HSE, said the woman had been admitted to hospital where she was receiving specialist treatment.

He said her weight was ‘remarkably low’ even for such cases, and that the woman had been battling anorexia nervosa since she was diagnosed at the age of 15.

He said she had endured a number of hospital admissions since that time.

Mr Brady said doctors had been forced to come to court as she had refused to be fed through a tube, and was not taking food by mouth.

He said doctors pointed to the severe effect that starvation had on a person’s cognition, and said she had expressed a ‘strong desire to kill herself through starvation’.

He said she also suffered from an emotionally unstable personality disorder, and lacked insight into her need for treatment.

Doctors did not believe she had the mental capacity to make decisions which were in her best interests, Mr Brady said.

He said an application would be made in due course for the woman to be given the protection of the High Court as a ward of court.

Her parents were fully in support of the application regarding the Order: Judge Michael MacGrath tube feeding, given the prolonged and serious nature of her condition, the court heard.

Mr Brady said the HSE wanted an order that the woman should be fed through a nasal gastric tube and said it would be necessary to do this for a number of weeks.

The HSE also sought an order permitting the woman’s detention in a medical unit, and orders permitting the use of force to restrain her if necessary and that gardaí could find her and return her to the unit if she absconded.

He said the case should be listed again so a solicitor for the woman could give her response.

Mr Brady said: ‘It is essential, a life or death matter, that the nasal gastric feeding should take place as soon as possible.’

Judge MacGrath asked: ‘Her life is at risk?’

Mr Brady replied: ‘Yes. That’s the medical position.’

Judge MacGrath said there was a need to grant all the orders sought.

The case returns to court on September 11.