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Consent tool kit - 3rd edition

August 2007

About this toolkit
This Tool Kit has been produced by a Working Party established by representatives at the BMA’s Annual Meeting. A consultation exercise undertaken by the Working Party confirmed that there is already a significant amount of guidance on the relevant legal and ethical principles relating to consent, but that such guidance is not always adhered to. This Tool Kit is just one method by which, it is hoped, the practice of obtaining valid consent can be improved.

The purpose of this Tool Kit is to act as a prompt to doctors when they are seeking consent by providing answers to common questions raised by this process. The Tool Kit consists of a series of cards relating to specific areas of consent such as providing treatment to children; consent and research; and obtaining consent for teaching purposes. Separate cards have been produced identifying factors to be considered when assessing competence and determining “best interests”. Each card is intended to stand alone, although there are some areas of overlap. Cards 1, 2 and 3 will be relevant to all doctors.

The Tool Kit is not intended to provide definitive guidance on all issues surrounding consent. Indeed, all cards refer to useful guidance, from bodies such as the GMC, BMA and the medical defence bodies, that should be used in conjunction with the cards. In addition, many of the Royal Colleges produce specific advice for their members: Card 13 lists contact details for organisations from whom further advice can be obtained. The Tool Kit is designed to raise doctors’ awareness about the ethical and legal principles that apply, to dispel some common misconceptions surrounding consent and to help doctors to obtain valid consent from their patients.

It is hoped that doctors, Trusts, medical schools and other relevant bodies will adapt the format of the Tool Kit to suit their own requirements. Some possible formats mooted by the Working Party were the production of Filofax® size cards, posters or overheads. Others considered that it would be helpful to have a series of A4 size laminated cards that could be used on hospital wards. The Tool Kit is available on the BMA’s website and individual Trusts, medical schools and individual doctors may download and adapt it to suit their own requirements. There are no copyright restrictions on this Tool Kit – please feel free to make multiple copies.

The BMA would welcome feedback on the usefulness of the Tool Kit. If you have any comments please address them to:

Medical Ethics Department, British Medical Association, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JP
Tel: 020 7383 6286
Fax: 020 7383 6233
Email: ethics@bma.org.uk