CONSENT TO TREATMENT – Children and Young People

We get econsults/phone calls from parents about their older teenage children. We remind parents that NHS guidelines state that people aged 16 or over are entitled to consent to their own treatment. This means that we CANNOT discuss their medical issues with the parent unless there is express written consent from the young person held on their medical records. This can only be overruled in exceptional circumstances.

Consent to treatment – Children and young people – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Like adults, young people (aged 16 or 17) are presumed to have sufficient capacity to decide on their own medical treatment, unless there’s significant evidence to suggest otherwise.