10 FYi • Consent


INFORMED


RAINEES are at the forefront of investigations and treatment in hospital. You may be undertaking your own investigations on a patient, performing a procedure under supervision or obtaining


consent before a theatre list. In all of these instances, and many more besides, it is important to be aware of your professional (and legal) duty to obtain valid, informed consent. The importance of consent is perhaps best illustrated by considering what can happen when it is not obtained.


DECISION S T


Consent is a crucial part of medical practice but can seem a complex process for trainees. MDDUS medical adviser Dr Naeem Nazem highlights the basic principles


A failure of this kind can have an immediate impact on the doctor-patient relationship. A hospital stay can be a strange and unsettling experience for most patients and one that will only be made worse if they feel “left out” of the decision-making process involving their care. MDDUS is aware of many complaints made by patients who did not suffi ciently understand their treatment, leading to a breakdown in communication and subsequent deterioration of the doctor-patient relationship. Neglecting to obtain consent can also have more serious consequences. There is no special


privilege conferred to the actions of a doctor in a hospital setting compared to the actions of members of the public in the community. Even touching your patient to examine them requires their prior consent. Signifi cantly, an absence of such consent may leave you vulnerable to criminal allegations of assault or battery as well as a possible GMC investigation. While the number of patient complaints


relating to consent is relatively low, and the number of doctors facing criminal charges connected to consent lower still, it is something that should be kept at the forefront


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