British Council Parental Consent Form – Everyone should have the ability to make educated decisions about their medical care. Treatments for medical conditions can be demanding, and therefore patients should be able to decide from the facts about risks that their bodies should be treated. Thus, before medical personnel can administer treatments to patients, they have to obtain the so-called informed consent.
Informed consent constitutes a lawful requirement where a patient is provided with a full and complete description of the condition of their body and the recommended treatment by the acting physician. After receiving this information the patient has to offer the physician consent to treat prior to any form or treatment can be offered. Without the patient’s informed consent, a health care provider is not permitted to offer treatments.
Decision Making Capacity
In some instances patients don’t have the knowledge to fully comprehend their options regarding treatment, and the risks/benefits of each. In other instances patients may not be able to effectively convey their preferences to health professionals. In these situations, the patient is said not to possess the proper capacity to make decisions. An individual from the family or court-appointed representative will then be permitted to provide informed consent instead.
Patients that are strongly influenced by their emotions – anxiety or fear, for example are deemed not possessing decision making capacity. Those who are unconscious clearly cannot take decisions on their alone, and external parties have to give consent for treatment instead.
Items in an British Council Parental Consent Form
There are certain elements that are included on all informed consent forms:
The diagnosis or medical condition of the patient.
The treatment that is recommended by the doctor in charge
The risks and the benefits associated with this treatment
Alternative treatments that are offered, as are their potential risks and benefits
The benefits and risks associated with accepting no treatment at all
These items must not only be recorded in the patient’s medical records however, they must communicated with the person receiving the treatment. This way, he can be fully aware of all the details of the scenario and get straight answers to any questions that arise.