Who Is The Legal Next Of Kin?

[HevT]

My daughter is in intensive/critical care.I wan to know who is the legal next of kin to her.She is married and her hubby is claiming to be her next of kin.I don't want him making any decisions about her treatments or her future treatments.I don't want him 'pulling the plug'

[Peter Pedant]

oops sorry
brain not in gear
should have consulted the NHS site on this

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/consent-to-treatment/pages/introduction.aspx

[mikey4444]

Peter....the difficulty here is how will the Hospital know what is in the best interests of the patient ?

My brother is still seriously ill in ITU, recovering from an operation on his head. Unfortunately, he and his wife are divorcing, so it may become awkward in the future.

[Peter Pedant]

Hospital - no
it is the doctor in charge in this case the consultant

( in your brothers case there may be two - neurosurgeon and intensivist - then they will speak to each other )

it is really only a dispute where further treatment may be futile - if one party strongly argues that X is NOT futile then they will usually continue....