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Dept of Health

Answer

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if doctors are required to consult parents and carers before making decisions affecting people with a severe learning disability. [158080] Mr. Hutton: The Department has recently issued guidance to health professionals on the legal and good practice requirements for seeking valid consent from patients for proposed examinations or treatment "Reference Guide to Consent for Examination or Treatment". Where an adult patient is mentally able to give or withhold consent to proposed treatment, consent must always be sought directly from the patient himself or herself. It is good practice to involve those close to the patient, such as family, carers and friends, in the decision-making process if the patient wishes for such involvement. In some cases, patients may be so severely disabled that they are not able to give, or withhold, consent for a proposed examination or treatment. In such cases, health professionals may legally provide the treatment if it is in the patient's best interests to receive it. Although the health professional concerned is ultimately responsible for the decision as to whether or not treatment is in the patient's best interests, those close to the patient (parents, carers and others) should be fully involved in any discussions, unless the patient has made clear that particular individuals should not be involved in their care.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

158080; 367 c176W

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Disability Carers Health services Learning disability Medical treatments Parents

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk