Politicians hit out at 'ill-informed' abuse in Charlie Gard case

Senior politicians rallied around Great Ormond Street Hospital today to defend it from “ill-informed and vitriolic abuse” over the Charlie Gard case.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said staff at the world-leading hospital provided “extraordinary” treatment for patients every day.

The Labour MP spoke out after the courts backed a decision by doctors that experimental treatment in the US was not in the terminally ill boy’s best interests.

The ruling prompted offers of help from Donald Trump and senior Republican politicians, and unleashed a torrent of abuse towards the hospital, much of it from the American Right, who used it to attack “socialised” health care.

Hospital chiefs were even forced to contact police after staff received death threats and abuse, which have been condemned by Charlie’s family.

Mr Ashworth said: “Every single day the staff at GOSH achieve the most extraordinary things.

“They don’t deserve recent ill-informed and vitriolic abuse. It takes a special kind of person to care every day for the very sickest childen.”

Dr Onkar Sahota, chair of the London Assembly health committee, added: “This has been a traumatic time for both parents and doctors, who only want to do the best for the child in a difficult and complex medical case.”