BMA - New guidance reinforces respect for patient choice, say doctors - 19 May 08

• Extract from : http://tinyurl.com/4ye4je

The new GMC guidance on patient consent issued today (Monday 19 May 2008) marks a changing culture for patient choice and decision-making said the Chairman of the BMA’s Medical Ethics Committee (MEC), Dr Tony Calland.

He commented:

• “The BMA contributed to the development of the GMC’s guidance because we believe that attitudes in society are changing. The doctor-patient relationship should be based on good communication and informed decision-making. This means talking about issues like risk, side effects of treatment and how to tackle situations when a patient does not want to know the full details of their prognosis. Each individual patient’s circumstances are unique and levels of risk will vary depending on each person’s history and particular situation. This means that discussions about consent should be tailored to each individual.
• “Gaining valid consent is more challenging for doctors when patients lack capacity to make decisions for themselves. In recent years the legal landscape has changed to protect these patients, for example the introduction of capacity/incapacity legislation in England, Scotland and Wales. It is essential that doctors are aware of these changes in the law and how they affect their interactions with patients.”

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• Link GMC - Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together - 19 May '08

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