The principle of consent is fundamental to the provision of healthcare as the provider cannot physically deliver a proposed treatment without a patients consent which is defined as meaning to give permission. (McIlwain 2011) In a healthcare scenario, it is essential for both ethical and legal reasons to gain a patients consent prior to the commencement of any treatment. This is due to the principle that a persons body is their own and any decisions regarding it are theirs to make. Following on from this, the touching of a person without their valid consent may amount to assault of which there is longstanding legal precedent. (Collins v Wilcock 1984)
For a persons consent to be deemed valid, there are several criteria which must be met; the person must be adequately informed of their current condition and proposed procedure, they must be deemed mentally competent at the time, they must be free of duress and the consent must be in relation to the current situation. (Erbay, Alan et al. 2010) Competence, also known as capacity, is an important aspect of a patients consent whether agreeing or refusing a treatment. Common law makes the assumption that all adults have the capacity to consent unless deemed otherwise in the determination of their ability, or lack thereof, to make a decision as opposed to basing it upon “reasonableness”. (Snow 2014) A person is considered to lack the capacity to consent to treatment in situations such as being unconscious, of a very young age, being in an altered conscious state or otherwise being scheduled under the mental health act. (Eburn 2013)

Consent
1. Thoroughly define the term in your own words with reference to appropriate literature; and

2. Provide an appropriate paramedicine example to demonstrate your understanding of this term

Your submission should include an appropriate introduction, body and conclusion. It should be

appropriately formatted and APA referenced.

• For information of ACU assignment formatting requirements go to:

https://students.acu.edu.au/308971

• For information on APA referencing requirements go to:

https://students.acu.edu.au/372501

Due date: Friday 13 March 2015 at 1700hrs

Weighting: 15%

Length and/or format: 500 words

Purpose: This task is designed to allow students to present an APA

referenced assignment to demonstrate their understanding of the

key concept explored and their ability to correctly reference using

APA style. You must include an APA style reference list. You will

gain feedback from the assessor for guidance before undertaking

Collins v Wilcock 1984 3 All ER 374, 378.
Eburn, M. (2013). Emergency Law. Sydney, The Federation Press. Erbay, H., et al. (2010). "A case study from the perspective of medical ethics: refusal of treatment in an ambulance." Journal Of Medical Ethics 36(11): 652-655. This paper will examine a sample case