Consent and information giving in radiotherapy

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 217-223
Author(s):  
Gillian Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Health Professional ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Consent Forms ◽  
Policy Model ◽  
Information Giving ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Radiotherapy Department ◽  
Consent To Treatment ◽  
To Receive

AbstractThis paper explores some of the issues around implementing a consent policy within the radiotherapy department. Consent can be defined as a patient’s agreement for a health care professional to provide care. The NHS Plan1 highlighted the need for quality care centred around the patient and for changes in the way patients are asked to give their consent to treatment. This led to the Department of Health (DoH) publishing a Good Practice in Consent Implementation Guide (2001)2 for use within all NHS Trusts from 1 April 2002, which aimed to provide consistency across the NHS and provides a policy model and generic consent forms.The policy recommends that the health professional carrying out the procedure is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the patient is genuinely consenting to what is being done, as it is they who would be held responsible in law should a case be made by a patient against a health professional. In radiotherapy, it is the Clinical Oncologist who obtains consent as they are responsible for prescribing courses of treatment; however, it is the Radiographer’s role to deliver this treatment. This paper discusses some of the issues around implementing a consent policy in terms of who can give and confirm consent, and what are the requirements for training if the patient is to receive the appropriate information before making the decision to consent to treatment.

The consent process in radiotherapy

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 211-216
Author(s):  
Keisha S. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Patient Autonomy ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Medical Professional ◽  
Consent Process ◽  
Consent Forms ◽  
Legal Principles ◽  
The Past ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Radiotherapy Department

AbstractOver the past two decades The Department of Health has made the consent process one of its main focus and has issued numerous guidelines on how the process must be conducted in order to make it valid. This mandate has been in accordance with the new patient-centred health service, which has patient autonomy as its fundamental standard. This paper will critically appraise the consent process in a radiotherapy department against the Department of Health’s recommendations. The ethical and legal principles governing the process will also be discussed using guidance from medical professional bodies and reference to English case law. Additionally, the function of written consent and consent forms will be assessed in order to establish whether implied or oral consent has any role in radiotherapy. The paper found that to a large extent the Department of Health’s recommendations are followed in the radiotherapy department evaluated. One key outcome arising from this paper is that written consent is the most appropriate form of consent in radiotherapy; however the record of consent should not be solely confined to a consent form. Rather it is critical that adequate notes of all areas of the dialogue that took place during the consent process with the patient should be written in the patient’s medical notes.

Maintaining and Updating the Storing Data by the Control Points

2013 ◽  
Vol 457-458 ◽  
pp. 793-796
Author(s):  
I. Mimorov ◽  
I. Livshits ◽  
V. Vasilev
Keyword(s):  
Good Practice ◽  
New Method ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Distance Teaching ◽  
Time Cost ◽  
Teaching System ◽  
System Usage ◽  
Potential Risks ◽  
To Receive

This paper describes the new method that improves the processing and storing of data, which was used during the development of distance teaching system. Usage of a modern methodologies and good practice has reduced the time cost for working with information, helps to identify the out of day information, operate potential risks and shows how to receive competitive advantages.

scholarly journals Delivering race equality in mental health services

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 326-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Lau
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Care Pathway ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Policy Initiatives ◽  
Pilot Survey ◽  
The Past ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Clinical Engagement

‘Delivering race equality’ is a 5-year action plan for tackling race inequalities in mental healthcare in England and Wales, based on the main themes of improved services, better community engagement and better information. The perception is that clinical teams have not been sufficiently engaged with the plan and progress is slow. This article shares insights from the author's work across government departments over the past 2 years and explores the potential for linking up different initiatives across the patient care pathway in support of the plan's delivery. A summary of conclusions from a pilot survey of consultant psychiatrists, commissioned by the Department of Health in June 2007, addresses the main controversial areas in the action plan, with suggestions for improvement. Areas for clinical engagement are identified that exploit new funding, investment and policy initiatives. Examples of good practice are offered.

Coalitions

2015 ◽  
pp. 240-255
Author(s):  
Erinn N. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Federal Grants ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Provide Quality Care ◽  
New Form ◽  
To Receive

Demands in healthcare have placed a strain on healthcare providers trying to provide quality care while maintaining accreditations and planning for the possibility of expansion of resources as well as patients. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) have been used to help ease this strain and increase the capabilities of healthcare systems all over the country. In an effort to “level the playing field,” the federal government has recently decided to mandate the structure of these healthcare PPPs. That is, a new form of these partnerships (i.e. coalitions) has been designated the organizational model that healthcare PPPs must evolve into in order to receive certain types of federal grants. This chapter discusses these coalitions as well as challenges for PPPs that are just now in the process of forming. Also discussed is the increased effort required to form coalitions from PPPs that have already been in existence for any length of time.

Understanding the Issue of ‘Informed Consent’ in Dental Treatment

2004 ◽  
Vol os11 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy A Woodcock ◽  
Mark V Willings ◽  
Patrick VA Marren
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Informed Consent ◽  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Valid Consent ◽  
Consent To Treatment ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk

The concept of consent to treatment is increasingly becoming contested in United Kingdom courts of law. Any practitioners who cannot demonstrate that a patient has properly consented to treatment are laying themselves open to litigation. This paper demonstrates that valid consent is not as straightforward as may be assumed and that a patient can easily challenge a standardised approach to obtaining consent. Current Department of Health guidelines on obtaining consent are discussed, and changes in the USA, Europe and Australia are brought into focus with regard to the situation in the UK.

scholarly journals A Study of How Urology Out-Patients like to Receive Clinical Information

2006 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 579-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
DN Wood ◽  
A Deshpande ◽  
M Wijewardena ◽  
SS Gujral
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioners ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Postal Questionnaire ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
The Future ◽  
Group A ◽  
Group B ◽  
The Uk ◽  
To Receive ◽  
B 52

INTRODUCTION As part of the NHS Plan the UK Department of Health has suggested that both patients and general practitioners (GPs) are written to following hospital consultations. We audited the responses of patients and GPs to this practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 160 patients in one consultant urologist's clinic were included. The consultant had never routinely copied GP letters to patients. The SpR in the same clinic had routinely done so in previous posts. Patients who had received letters (group A) and those who had not (group B) were asked to complete a postal questionnaire. GPs were also sent a questionnaire to assess their opinion. The responses were analysed. RESULTS Questionnaires were sent out to patients (80 to group A and 80 to group B. From this, 100 (62.5%) responses were received (A 48 [60%]; B 52 [65%]). Of respondents, 81% were male. Overall, 98% of those patients who received a letter agreed with its contents, and stated they would keep the letter and take it to a subsequent doctor's appointment. Of respondents, 83% (A) and 96% (B) had never received a doctor's letter before but 83% (40 [83%, A], 43 [83%, B]; P > 0.05) of respondents would like to receive doctors' letters in the future. some 22 GP practices received and completed questionnaires at a PCT meeting and 74% of GPs agreed with the practice of copying patients their letters. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that patients should be offered a copy of their letter and that their response should be documented in the notes. This may serve to improve communication with the patient but should not be undertaken without their agreement.

Changes in surgical consent practices for common otolaryngology procedures: impact of Modernising Medical Careers

2010 ◽  
Vol 124 (8) ◽  
pp. 899-904 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Puwanarajah ◽  
S E McDonald
Keyword(s):  
National Health Service ◽  
Telephone Survey ◽  
Elective Surgery ◽  
General Medical Council ◽  
Medical Council ◽  
Consent Forms ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Medical Careers ◽  
Patient Consent ◽  
Selection Of

AbstractObjectives:To assess elective surgery consent practices amongst senior house officers from a selection of UK ENT departments, and to compare results with similar surveys in 2002 and 2005.Methods:A telephone survey of senior house officers in 40 UK ENT departments was conducted to assess departmental consent policies and knowledge of complications of common ENT operations.Results:A total of 77.5 per cent of responding senior house officers were responsible for consenting, reduced from 92.5 per cent in 2002 (p = 0.06). There had been a significant improvement in the use of patient information sheets, from 25 per cent of departments in 2002 to 65 per cent in 2008 (p = 0.0002). There had been no improvement in training or in the use of standard National Health Service consent forms, and the senior house officers' knowledge of specific complications remained poor. Of the senior house officers surveyed, 37.5 per cent were foundation trainees.Conclusions:There has been some improvement in information delivery to patients during the consent process, in accordance with General Medical Council, Department of Health and Modernising Medical Careers guidelines. However, most senior house officers are still required to obtain patient consent without appropriate training.

Informed consent of the critically ill patient and drug therapy: legal aspects

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2S) ◽  
pp. 21-30
Author(s):  
Riccardo Fresa
Keyword(s):  
Informed Consent ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
Third Parties ◽  
Legal Issues ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Critically Ill Patient ◽  
Patient Relationship ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Consent To Treatment ◽  
To Receive

Legal issues concerning the doctor-patient relationship are numerous, and belong to the wider field of professional liability in health care. This article will be dealt with the issues related to informed consent in patients temporarily unable to express consent, or patients who are in a state of temporary incapacity. If the patients are temporarily incapable, and therefore are not able to receive the information nor to express consent to treatment, the physicians’ duty to provide medical treatment and the patients’ self-determination should be considered: the patients can consent or refuse treatment only if able to understand the significance of their decision. If a patient is temporarily unable to give consent and the practitioner doesn’t have at his/her disposal a valid document reporting the patient’s wishes, it’s necessary to rely on the so called “amministratore di sostegno” (introduced in the Italian legal system by Law n. 6 of January 9th, 2004). But in the case of not deferrable treatment, as a lifesaving intervention, the rule is in dubio pro life meaning that a doctor is always legitimized by this situation of urgent need, regardless of the informed consent of the patient and/or third parties.

Would women with breast cancer prefer to receive an antidepressant for anxiety or depression from their oncologist?

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (29_suppl) ◽  
pp. 219-219
Author(s):  
Daniel Curtis McFarland ◽  
Megan Johnson Shen ◽  
Kirk Harris ◽  
Amy Tiersten ◽  
John Mandeli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Mental Health Professional ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Patient Treatment ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
To Receive

219 Background: Patient treatment preferences for the management of anxiety and depression influence adherence and treatment outcomes, yet breast cancer patient preferences for provider-specific pharmacologic management of anxiety and depression is unknown. This study examined breast cancer patients’ antidepressant prescriber preferences and their preferences for treatment by a mental health professional. Methods: Breast cancer patients (Stage 0-IV) were asked two questions: 1) “Would you be willing to have your oncologist treat your depression or anxiety with an antidepressant medication if you were to become depressed or anxious at any point during your treatment?”; and 2) “Would you prefer to be treated by a psychiatrist or mental health professional for problems with either anxiety or depression?” Additionally, the Distress Thermometer and Problem List, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Risky Families Questionnaire, and demographic information were assessed. Results: One hundred twenty-five participants completed the study. 60.4% were willing to accept an antidepressant from an oncologist and 26.3% preferred treatment by a mental health professional. 77.3% who were willing to receive an antidepressant from their oncologist reported either no preference or that treatment by a mental health professional didn’t matter (p = 0.01). Participants taking antidepressants (p = 0.02) or reporting high chronic stress (p = 0.03) preferred a mental health professional. Conclusions: The majority of patients accepted antidepressant prescribing by their oncologist; only a minority preferred treatment by a mental health professional. These findings suggest the benefit for promoting education of oncologists to assess psychological symptoms and manage anxiety and depression as a routine part of an outpatient visit.

Competence and consent to treatment in children and adolescents

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Clinical Case ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Parental Authority ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Legal Advice ◽  
Consent To Treatment

English law on young people's consent to treatment and competence is complex and can even appear contradictory. For example, competent minors can consent, but their refusal can be overruled by the consent of a person with parental authority or by the court. This paper is an attempt to make sense of the topic for clinicians. It includes a discussion of the law and the small body of relevant research evidence. There are clinical case examples, checklists and guidelines for good practice. However, it is not a substitute for legal advice, which should be sought wherever doubt remains.

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