By

Wales Online 10th August 2001 updated 2013

Man wins right to die at home

A terminally ill man has won his fight to die at home after a health authority agreed to fund his nursing care, his solicitor said tonight.

A terminally ill man has won his fight to die at home after a health authority agreed to fund his nursing care, his solicitor said tonight.

Last month Jason Powell won permission to start a High Court battle challenging a health authority's refusal to fund the NHS-funded care he needs to return home.

The 33-year-old, who is suffering from multiple sclerosis and aspiration pneumonia, had been told he only has months to live.

Mr Powell, from Whitland, Carmarthen, west Wales, is currently an in-patient in the West Wales General Hospital at Glangwilli, Carmarthen.

Last month he was given permission to seek judicial review of the health authority's decision to only fund a place in a nursing home.

The case was due to be heard in the High Court in London on Monday but solicitors today announced that an agreement had been reached.

Mr Powell's solicitor Katrina Salter tonight said Dyfed Powys Health Authority had agreed to fund 24-hour home care for Mr Powell.

'What we were obviously hoping to achieve on Monday was inviting or directing Dyfed Powys Health Authority to review its position and to fund 24-hour care for Jason at home.

What has happened now is that we are very happy to say that the health authority and the local authority have agreed to fund 24-hour funded care for Jason at home.

'We feel there's been total vindication of Jason bringing these proceedings,' she told BBC Radio Wales.

 

 10 AUG 2001