Man centre of high profile legal case dies at Plymouth's Derriford Hospital

The middle-aged man - known as RS - suffered a heart attack in November, and was in a 'vegetative state' before passing away

Author: Sophie SquiresPublished 27th Jan 2021
Last updated 27th Jan 2021

A Plymouth dad and Polish national who has been critically ill in Derriford Hospital following a heart attack in November has died.

The middle-aged man - known as RS - was in a vegetative state after suffering cardiac arrest. He has since been the centre of a high profile court case.

His wife believed he would not want to continue living in such a condition, but other family members believed differently due to his Catholic faith.

It was decided that it was not in RS's best interests to be given life-sustaining treatment, but that he would instead receive palliative treatment - a type of end of life care.

University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust said in an earlier statement that "this is a very difficult and tragic situation for all involved".

Earlier today (January 26) the Polish Press Agency said: "A Polish national that had been in vegetative state after a heart attack and whom Polish officials wanted to be kept alive despite his wife's opposition has died in a hospital in Plymouth in the UK.

"The news of the patient's death was confirmed by his family."

At an online court hearing in December, Mr Justice Cohen agreed with the NHS doctors that, with appropriate treatment and care care, RS could survive "for up to five years or more" - but that he would never recover beyond "a minimally conscious state" where he could barely "acknowledge a presence of another human being".

The Polish government fought to have RS repatriated to their country prior to his death, and the Trust have since been hounded with aggressive messages on social media.

Derriford Hospital has been approached for a comment.

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