THE Alfie Evans case is a tragedy for all involved.

That a life so young should be subject to such devastating ill health is heart-breaking and for parents to watch a child suffer must be excruciating. But it can’t be easy either for clinicians and staff at Alder Hey Hospital, who are now subjected to abuse and even threats. Sadly, some zealots have been characterising them as the perpetrators of his early passing, which is truly shameful.

Of course, it goes against the natural order of life for a child to predecease their parents, though it sadly happens. It’s therefore understandable that Alfie’s father and mother would do what they could to keep him alive. I don’t criticise them for that, even if I disagree with them. But, there’s a limit to what can be done and it ultimately needs to be decided dispassionately by trained clinicians.

His parents have pursued this through the courts and though it’s an English case it’s hard to see how it would be any different in Scotland, given that the case has already gone to the UK Supreme Court and to Europe. The most recent hearing, earlier this week, was an unsuccessful plea to have him removed from the hospital and taken to Rome for treatment. That was supported by the Pope, who I have to say I much admire, but profoundly disagree with on this.

READ MORE: Alfie’s father thanks staff and pledges to ‘form a relationship’ with hospital

The child has a degenerative brain condition for which there’s no cure. Clinicians have decided that it’s in his best interests to turn life support off and to allow him to pass away peacefully. This has been ongoing for many months and has been supported by the courts, with the latest request refused as there was no treatment. There has to come a time when he should be allowed to die with dignity and alleviating any ongoing suffering. That decision has to be made by clinicians.

It won’t have been easy for them. It’s not why they joined the medical profession. They go to work to treat people and alleviate suffering.

I recall when my mother died being called to the hospital and ushered into a side room by a concerned young doctor. He was doing his best to explain that she was dying and that there was little that could be done. I interjected to say that my mother had always insisted that she didn’t want kept alive artificially and wanted to go with dignity. It was as if a weight was lifted off the shoulders of this young medic who immediately said that everything would be done to ensure that there would be no suffering; and it was. She died with me at her side and without pain.

READ MORE: Alfie’s father thanks staff and pledges to ‘form a relationship’ with hospital

It wasn’t easy for me but neither had it been for the young doctor. He was clearly not too experienced and I don’t know what he would have done had I demanded that everything be done to save her, as frankly there was nothing that could be done. She was old, fed up with life and failing.

Now I’ve got huge regrets about what I wish I’d said to her and especially that I didn’t hold her in my arms though she was unconscious and bedridden by then; but I neither regret what I said to the doctor nor have any criticism of the care that was provided for her.

I also believe in the sanctity of life which is why I’ve always opposed the death penalty. Likewise, I have voted against Assisted Dying bills when in Parliament. I have no criticism of those who supported it and Margo MacDonald was an able advocate. However, I worried that it would institutionalise euthanasia and could put undue pressure on individuals.

Equally, though, I know that there are some horrendous cases of suffering. That’s why I’ve never criticised those who head off to Switzerland or assist those who do. There are some things that are worse than dying and I won’t moralise over people seeking to end their suffering.

READ MORE: Alfie’s father thanks staff and pledges to ‘form a relationship’ with hospital

My decision though was always predicated on both the health service and the justice system showing compassion. Helping someone to go early by increasing the dosage isn’t something that concerns me, so long as it’s known about, wanted and helps. That seems to me to just be part of palliative care.

More complicated are the actual cases where a life has to be taken and assistance is required. There my view has always been that the law can’t condone such actions but if after investigation it’s shown it was done by consent, at request and to alleviate suffering then it certainly shouldn’t be condemned. I tip my hat to judges who simply admonish and state that there’s no punishment that they can impose that can be any greater than what the accused already require to live with. That is compassionate justice.

Should either of those situations ever change then I have to say that I may be persuaded that Margo was right all those years ago. In the interim I think it best we just don’t go there.

But, though, I believe in the sanctity of life there are limits to what can be done by the medical profession. In many ways it’s the victim of its own success as wondrous cures are discovered and life expectancy increases. Not everything that can be done should be done, nor can it afford to be done.

READ MORE: Alfie’s father thanks staff and pledges to ‘form a relationship’ with hospital

It’s for that reason that decisions are clinical ones and systems are established to decide on medicines that can be prescribed. Some of the demands for this or that for poor Alfie fall into that category. Sadly, so do demands made repeatedly in the Scottish Parliament that this or that drug be prescribed to afford another few months for a dying citizen who’s invariably seated in the chamber.

That’s been considered by those charged to do so and it can’t be an easy task. But they know not everything can be funded or is even appropriate, and often big pharma can frankly be at it or at the back of it. That too is shameful but repeatedly done, a political low shot though all parties engage in it.

Decisions, whether by consultants on wards or others in offices, are never easy and they deserve our support and thanks, not threats and abuse.