Charlie Gard: Deadline passes for care decision

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Chris Gard and Connie Yates with their son Charlie Gard — Image caption Charlie has been in intensive care since October

The deadline for reaching an agreement over the end-of-life care for terminally-ill Charlie Gard has passed.

Charlie’s parents want a private medical team to care for their son in a hospice so they can have days with him before his life support ends.

But Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) said it was not in his interests to spend a long period in a hospice.

If no plan is agreed, the 11-month-old will be moved to a hospice and his life support withdrawn soon after.

Charlie’s parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, and GOSH had until 12:00 BST to agree his end-of-life care.

His parents have accepted their son could be moved to a hospice, the High Court heard on Wednesday.

Image copyright Featureworld

Image caption Chris Gard has said his son is not expected to live to see his first birthday on 4 August

Their lawyer, Grant Armstrong said they wanted to spend a period of days with him there and nurses from GOSH and a GP had volunteered to provide care for him.

But hospital bosses said they could not agree to the arrangement as his parents had not found a hospice or a paediatric intensive care specialist.

Mr Justice Francis ruled that without an agreement, Charlie will be transferred to a hospice where palliative care will be given to him and his breathing tube withdrawn “shortly after”.

The judge added that no details about when he would be moved and where could be made public.

Image copyright Featureworld

Image caption The 11-month-old has encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome