General Medical Council GMC "The seven principles of decision making and consent"

[TaraJR]

This may be useful to people who have discussions with the GP or consultant on their care. Apologies if it's been posted previously.

One

All patients have the right to be involved in decisions about their treatment and care and be supported to make informed decisions if they are able.

Two

Decision making is an ongoing process focused on meaningful dialogue: the exchange of relevant information specific to the individual patient.

Three

All patients have the right to be listened to, and to be given the information they need to make a decision and the time and support they need to understand it.

Four

Doctors must try to find out what matters to patients so they can share relevant information about the benefits and harms of proposed options and reasonable alternatives, including the option to take no action.

Five

Doctors must start from the presumption that all adult patients have capacity to make decisions about their treatment and care. A patient can only be judged to lack capacity to make a specific decision at a specific time, and only after assessment in line with legal requirements.

Six

The choice of treatment or care for patients who lack capacity must be of overall benefit to them, and decisions should be made in consultation with those who are close to them or advocating for them.

Seven

Patients whose right to consent is affected by law should be supported to be involved in the decision-making process, and to exercise choice if possible.

gmc-uk.org/professional-sta...

[JGBH]

Thank you for the link Tara x

[Jazzw]

That’s a link to a post from 13 years ago. Was that the one you meant to link? 🙂

[Regenallotment Ambassador in reply to Jazzw]

Oops no sorry, there was another one this week…. 🤦🏽‍♀️

can’t find it now… weird

[Jazzw in reply to Regenallotment]

No worries. Although—the fact that this has been the “code” for at least 13 years already doesn’t exactly fill one with confidence, does it?

And was it this one? healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Regenallotment Ambassador in reply to Jazzw]

Yes but when I found it it said 4 years ago 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Jazzw in reply to Regenallotment]

😃

[holyshedballs in reply to Jazzw]

TaraJR has copied and pasted my post but crucially added the link to the actual document for proof and references. Thank you TAraJR.

The posted link takes you to the most up to date version of the GMC Good Medical Practice for specialist guidance on Decision making and consent . This has been revised at least twice recently to take account of the Montgomery v Lanarkshire 2015 Supreme Court case.

[Jazzw in reply to holyshedballs]

So did I, on the version that was posted a few days ago. 🙂

[arTistapple]

What is this ‘support’ they keep mentioning? I can remember a long time ago ‘thinking’ I got support. A wrong assumption that turned out to be. However still pursuing ‘support’ but so far it’s not happening.

Too many stories in the news recently of people being abandoned by the NHS today and none of them appear to be hypothyroid patients!

[Chocolate1970]

You can do what's called an advanced statement, stating what treatment you would and wouldn't like , what meds don't agree with you and who's your next of kin . This is extremely helpful in cases where a patient could find themselves in a position where they are unable to make decisions for themselves.

Especially under the mental health act

[AmandaK]

This sounds very encouraging, in theory. However, with the increasing reliance on Physician Associates and the lack of recruitment of GPs, the practice might not match the rhetoric, sadly.