Consent, Capacity & Representatives

Before assessment or treatment, your clinician will explain what is proposed, the likely benefits, material risks and reasonable alternatives, and check that you agree. Consent is not a one-off signature: it continues throughout your care and your clinician will check in with you as treatment progresses.

You can ask questions, decline a particular technique, ask to stop, or withdraw consent at any time. Doing so will not affect your right to receive other appropriate care from us.

Consent to treatment is separate from accepting our Terms, from acknowledging our Privacy Notice, and from any marketing choice.

Capacity is decision-specific and time-specific: a person may be able to make some decisions and not others, and capacity can change from day to day. We do not assume that someone lacks capacity because of a disability, their age, a diagnosis, or the way they communicate.

In England and Wales, we follow the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005: presume capacity; support the person to make their own decision; respect that an unwise decision is not the same as an incapacitated one; act in the person's best interests where they lack capacity; and choose the least restrictive option.

A family member or carer may request or book an appointment on someone's behalf. However, family members do not automatically have legal authority to make health or welfare decisions for another adult, and booking an appointment does not give that authority.

Where a person lacks capacity for a specific treatment decision, a representative may be able to decide on their behalf only where they hold a relevant registered Lasting Power of Attorney for health and welfare, or are a Court-appointed deputy with the necessary powers. We may ask to see evidence of this before relying on it. Otherwise, decisions are made in the person's best interests, consulting those close to them.

Carers and family members can be enormously helpful in assisting communication, providing history and supporting exercises. Patient confidentiality remains important: we do not give relatives automatic access to clinical records, and we share clinical information with them only where the patient agrees or where it is lawful and appropriate to do so.

If you need support to understand information or to communicate your decision — for example large print, a slower pace, an interpreter, a communication aid, or a trusted person present — please tell us when booking or tell your clinician. We will make reasonable adjustments so that you can take part in decisions about your care.

Where we treat a child or young person, consent is obtained from a person with parental responsibility, and from the young person themselves where they have sufficient understanding, in line with the law that applies. Safeguarding considerations are described in our Safeguarding Statement.

If you have questions about consent, capacity or acting for someone else, please contact us before the appointment.