Capacity issues at the front door
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Electronic versions
Decision-making capacity is often overestimated by clinicians. An average of one third of patients lack capacity to make complex decisions and clinicians should be alert to such a possibility. Cognitive impairment, acute infection, intoxication and other common medical and psychiatric problems can impair patients' capacity. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 has to be applied when treating patients who lack capacity. The main decision maker for a proposed treatment or investigation is responsible for assessing capacity. However, all clinicians have to consider and assess capacity, and act in a patient's best interests if he/she lacks capacity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 513-516 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | British Journal of Hospital Medicine |
| Volume | 80 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| Early online date | 9 Sept 2019 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 9 Sept 2019 |
Total downloads
No data available