DOCTORS and families do not need legal permission to allow patients to die, a court has ruled.

Monday's ruling by the supreme court could affect the care of thousands of people every year who are kept alive in nursing homes and hospitals by medical interventions.

It will now be easier to withdraw food and liquid to allow patients in a long-term permanent vegetative state patients to die.

The decision means where doctors and families are in agreement of the best interests of patients there should be no need for a judge’s authorisation to remove feeding tubes – a process which can take years to complete and cost local health authorities tens of thousands in legal bills for appeals.

The move will certainly ease the pressure on some families and save the NHS some cash, but it is a controversial decision. The judgement cuts across ethical and religious beliefs and will divide opinion.

Some will see it as compassionate and humane, others the removing of a vital legal safeguard for a highly vulnerable group.

Anti-assisted dying campaigners said vegetative patients are "effectively going to be starved and dehydrated to death".

It is an incredibly sensitive area but we believe the court’s decision recognises the fact that sometimes it is in someone’s best interests to withdraw treatment.

The ruling will only work however if the person’s loved ones and medical team work together and agree on the way forward. In theory this makes sense, in practice it may be difficult for those parties to agree.