'Let us decide'.

ONLY one in four parents thinks doctors should decide when to stop treating a critically ill baby and eight out of 10 do not want courts involved, a study found. More than half, 55%, of those questioned by mumsnet.com for the General Medical Council said parents should have the final say. If doctors and parents disagree over ending treatment, a court must rule, they believe. The GMC is drafting guidelines for treating critically ill babies as part of a wider public consultation about care of dying patients. GMC assistant director of standards Jane O'Brien said: "The ideal situation is that the doctor and parents make a decision together that is based on the best interests of the child. Parents getting the right information at the right time is crucial to this and will minimise the chances of these decisions ever reaching the courts."

Giving information in the right ways "will help parents deal with difficult decisions, including changing the focus of treatment to managing symptoms and providing comfort".