What are the laws regarding turning off life support in the Uk regarding under 18's?

[hillocke]

Basically:
What are the exact laws regarding length of time on life support and when you say that the person in question is a lost cause?
If the person is under 18 should the doctor call the next of kin, most likely the parents, even if the patient says they don’t want them to know? Would that go against patient confidentiality or does that not count if they are a minor?
Is it illegal for a doctor to turn off a life support if the person is under 18 and has no person of authority, ie a family member, to say that they can?
(I’m not being morbid I was watching House and wondered what the laws were in the UK.)

[thom]

Basically:
What are the exact laws regarding length of time on life support and when you say that the person in question is a lost cause?
If the person is under 18 should the doctor call the next of kin, most likely the parents, even if the patient says they don’t want them to know? Would that go against patient confidentiality or does that not count if they are a minor?
Is it illegal for a doctor to turn off a life support if the person is under 18 and has no person of authority, ie a family member, to say that they can?
(I’m not being morbid I was watching House and wondered what the laws were in the UK.)

If they are brain dead the machine can be switched off but need the permission of the next of kin. If they are in a coma but not brain dead the life support can be kept on for as long as the family want it kept on.