SW News: The Catholic Church in England is accusing the country’s National Health Service of failing to respect the basic human dignity of patients following the legally sanctioned killing of a Polish man who was in a coma. The man, who is referred to in Polish media as Mr. Sławomir, died on Tuesday after more than a week of being deprived of food and fluids. May he rest in peace.

Earlier this month, medics at the Derriford Hospital in Plymouth were granted court approval to withdraw assisted nutrition and hydration from Mr. Sławomir who had been in a coma after suffering a heart attack in November. The President of Poland’s Bishops Conference, Archbishop Stanisław Gadecki, described that legal decision as a death sentence by starvation.

Now the Bishops of England & Wales have issued a statement praying that the manner of Mr. Sławomir's death would not be repeated in the future and that, “all those requiring Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration will be treated with proper human dignity”.

The statement added that providing food and water to very sick patients, even by assisted means, is a basic level of care and that this care must be given whenever possible unless it is medically indicated as being overly burdensome or failing to attain its purpose.