Consent - your rights
How you should be involved in decisions about your health care and
treatment.
(This is a guide for under 16s.)
If you’re under 16, this information is for you.
It tells you about your right to decide about your health care and treatment. You can accept or refuse any treatment, examinations or tests, and you can decide whether to take part in research. Your parent or guardian may find this information helpful too.
What do I need to know about consent?
- What does consent mean?
- Am I able to give consent?
- Who decides if I’m able to give consent?
- Who can give consent if I'm not able to?
- How do I give my consent?
- What information should I be given?
- Can I refuse examination and treatment?
- What if I change my mind?
What does consent mean?
Agreement! A doctor, nurse, or anyone else looking after your health, like a dentist, has to have your agreement before they can examine or treat you.
Am I able to give consent?
- You can give consent if you’re able to understand what is involved and decide things for yourself.
- You may not feel able to give consent for some things - each decision is different. Some decisions are more difficult than others.
- Even if you’re not able to give your consent, you can still be involved in discussions about your health care if that’s what you want.
Who decides if I'm able to give consent?
- A doctor or someone else looking after your health, like a dentist, will decide if you are able to give consent. They will decide this by talking to you. They have to be sure that you can understand the kind of examination or treatment they are suggesting, and what its possible effects.
- Your doctor or dentist may decide you’re not able to give consent. If you’re not happy about their decision you can:
- contact the Scottish Child Law Centre
- contact ChildLine. Their counsellors will give you help and support.
To find out how to do this, see how to find out more.
Who can give consent if I'm not able to?
- If you’re not able to give consent, your parent or guardian will be asked for their consent to your examination or treatment.
- If it’s an emergency and there’s no time for your parent or guardian to give their consent for you, doctors can treat you - but only if the treatment is to save your life or to stop you becoming even more unwell.
How do I give my consent?
- By doing something to show your agreement. For example, your doctor may ask to examine your foot. If you take off your shoe, it shows that you agree to this.
- Sometimes you may be asked to show that you agree.
- If the examination or treatment is complicated, like an operation, you may be asked to sign a form.
What information should I be given?
You need enough information to help you make a decision. The doctor,
nurse or other health worker must explain things to you in a way you can understand.
You may want to know:
- why you are being examined or treated
- what will happen
- what good it will do
- if there are any risks
- if there’s a different treatment you could choose instead
- what may happen if you don’t have the examination or treatment, or
- the name of the doctor or other health worker looking after you.
Remember you can ask:
- as many questions as you want
- for some information to take away
- for more time to make your mind up.
If you need an interpreter, ask a member of staff to arrange this for you in advance.
Can I refuse examination and treatment?
- Yes, as long as you understand how this could affect your health. Your parents and doctor should always listen to you, even if they don’t agree with your decision.
- In very unusual cases, if you have said no to treatment and you have a very serious condition, your parent or guardian may disagree with you and want to talk things over with a lawyer. This is only because they want what’s best for you. It doesn’t always mean they will make you do something you don't want to.
Your opinion will still be listened to.
What if I change my mind?
- You can change your mind about agreeing to an examination or treatment at any time. But you need to understand how this could affect your health.
- Tell the person looking after you that you’ve changed your mind.
Page last edited: 28 April 2010