Patient consent for surgery

Abstract

In the United Kingdom consent is described by the Department of Health as a principle that is an important part of medical ethics and international human rights law. All surgeons should be able to obtain valid informed consent for the procedures that they intend to perform. Legally, the process of obtaining consent for the treatment of the competent adult is governed by common law i.e. by case law, rather than by statute. There is a common law duty of care for the surgeon to inform the patient of what a specific procedure entails and the risks involved.