Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare: Informed consent in health care. Factsheet for clinicians (2020)

Summary

Informed consent is a person’s decision, given voluntarily, to agree to a healthcare treatment, procedure or other intervention that is made:

• Following the provision of accurate and relevant information about the healthcare intervention and alternative options available;
• With adequate knowledge and understanding of the benefits and material risks of the proposed intervention relevant to the person who would be having the treatment, procedure or other intervention.

Ensuring informed consent is properly obtained is a legal, ethical and professional requirement on the part of all treating health professionals and supports person-centred care. Good clinical practice involves ensuring that informed consent is validly obtained and appropriately timed.

This fact sheet from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare includes information for clinicians about informed consent in healthcare.