Your doctor needs your agreement (informed consent) before giving you any medical treatment.
Learn more about:
- What information is your doctor required to give you?
- What is informed consent?
- Consent from children
What information is your doctor required to give you?
Your doctor and treatment team will help you make informed decisions about treatment. They will usually explain:
- the proposed treatment and its benefits
- other treatment options
- possible side effects, risks and complications
- likely out-of-pocket costs (if any).
This information is generally given in English. If you need an interpreter, you can ask the doctor if they can arrange one or call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.
What is informed consent?
When you understand this information and agree to treatment, this is called informed consent. You will usually be asked to sign a form showing that you understand the information you have been given and agree to treatment. If you have questions or need more information, talk to your doctor.
Usually, you can change your mind even if you have already given consent. Make sure you tell your doctor or other health care professional clearly if you change your mind.
To agree to treatment, you must have capacity. Capacity means you can:
- understand the choices available to you
- remember the information given to you
- understand the outcomes of your decision
- communicate your decision.
If you do not have capacity, another person may be able to make decisions for you. In the case of a medical emergency or where you are unconscious or unable to make decisions, consent may not be needed. If your medical team knows that you have recorded an advance care directive, they will take this into account.
Consent from children
A parent or guardian usually makes health care decisions for their child. Children should still be involved as much as possible in these decisions. It is important to ensure that the health care team considers your child’s health care preferences.
A child should be given age-appropriate information, take part in discussions about their treatment, and be encouraged to ask questions.
A child may be able to make their own health care decisions and consent to treatment if certain conditions are met. Different states have different laws around this.
→ READ MORE: Advance care planning
Podcast: Making Treatment Decisions
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Elena Schiena, Social Work – Clinical Lead, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Tracey Bilson, Consumer; Tarishi Desai, Manager – Treatment & Supportive Care, McCabe Centre for Law & Cancer, VIC; Sarah Flynn, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Kim Greco, Lung Cancer Nurse Consultant, Flinders Medical Centre, SA; Dr Catherine Joyce, National Manager, Advance Care Planning Australia; Hall & Wilcox Lawyers; Linda Magann, CNC Palliative Care, St George Hospital, NSW; Joanna Page, Consumer; Brian Stace, Consumer; Dr Sabine Wardle, Senior Social Worker, Embrace Care Solutions and Charles Sturt University, NSW.
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