Judge to decide whether teen at centre of kidney treatment row should have transplant

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A judge is preparing to decide whether a transplant is in the best interests of a teenage boy who has kidney disease. William Verden, 17, is on dialysis and is at the centre of a treatment dispute.

His mother, Ami McLennan, 45, says a transplant is a 'feasible option' and has made an appeal for a donor. But specialists treating William, who has autism, at Manchester Children’s Hospital say a transplant is not in his best interests. READ MORE: Police and fire crews to flood Manchester city centre today in training exercise Mrs Justice Arbuthnot is scheduled to oversee a hearing in Liverpool next week in the Court of Protection, where judges consider issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to take decisions for themselves, to decide what treatment options are in the teenager’s best interests.

Lawyers representing the hospital’s governing trust – the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust – have asked Mrs Justice Arbuthnot to consider the case and make decisions.

Liz Davis, a lawyer based at firm Irwin Mitchell, which represents Ms McLennan, said: “This is a really emotive case which has prompted a lot of debate.” She added: “While Ms McLennan and the trust have continued to try and work together to find an agreement, this is an incredibly important and time-pressing issue so the courts are now being asked to make a judgement as to what’s in William’s best interests. ” The judge has heard that William, from Lancaster, suffers from steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.