An essential guide to Consent
Post date: 04/07/2017 | Time to read article: 1 minsThe information within this article was correct at the time of publishing. Last updated 18/05/2020
This Essential Guide was produced as a resource for Medical Protection members in the UK. It is intended as general guidance only.
Introduction
Consent is a fundamental principle of medical law. The basic rule is simple: no-one has the right to touch anyone else without lawful excuse and if doctors do so it may well undermine patients’ trust.
Such behaviour may lead to a clinical negligence claim, a complaint to the GMC or even civil or criminal proceedings for assault.
There are three components to valid consent:
Medical Protection members are always welcome to telephone our medicolegal advice line for more specific practical advice and support with medicolegal issues that may arise. Alternatively, members may submit a medicolegal query online.
Click here to go to our medicolegal advice page.
