Scottish Dementia Working Group - Run by people with dementia

25th June, 2008 Jenny Posted in News | No Comments »

Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together

The General Medical Council launched its new guidance Consent: Patients and doctors making decisions together on the 4th of June 2008 at the Scottish Parliament.

Edward McLaughlin of the SDWG speaks at the launch

The launch was hosted by Irene Oldfather MSP, Convener of the Cross Party group on Alzheimer’s and supported by Alzheimer Scotland. Members of the Scottish Dementia Working Group who had been involved in the consultation process in 2007 were also in attendance, alongside voluntary organisations, doctors and regulatory bodies.

Key changes

Among the key changes reflected in the guidance are that it:

• sets out the key principles of good decision-making, which apply to all decisions about care from simple treatment for minor and self-limiting conditions to major surgery
• reflects the shift in professional and public attitudes towards more patient-centred care

Issues covered in detail for the first time include:

• overcoming obstacles to sharing information
• discussing risk
• advance care planning
• making decisions when a patient’s decision making capacity may be impaired or fluctuating.

Drama workshops

The formal process of consultation in 2007 was supported by series of drama workshop events across the UK, including an event in Glasgow City Halls.

The play ‘Forecast Fog‘ worked by illustrating various scenarios between doctor and patient and then inviting members of the audience to step in and work on those scenarios to try and change the outcome for the better. The actors would also invite comment from the audience during this process.

GMC work with Scottish Dementia Working Group

In Scotland, the GMC worked closely with the Scottish Dementia Working Group to seek the views of people living with dementia.

Edward McLaughlin of the Scottish Dementia Working Group, who was a key speaker at the launch explained:

The Dementia Working Group’s involvement with the GMC began last year when we were invited to be involved in the development of a piece of theatre which was going to be used as one of the key consultation mechanisms for the new Consent Guidance.

We were able to feed in our ideas at an early stage so the drama was able to reflect the reality of some of our own experiences and also those who support and work with us.

On the performance itself Edward noted:

It was evident that nearly everyone had something to say and was able to say it in a way that felt safe and comfortable.

It was also remarkable for us to have access to so many doctors across the spectrum of specialities (particularly GPs) and who were willing to put themselves in a situation where they had to be open to comment and criticism! This was a first for us.

For many doctors, the guidance will simply confirm what they already do and know is good practice. The GMC hopes it will cause doctors to be conscious of how they approach their discussions with patients and to move away from the practice, which still exists in some areas, of seeing consent as something that is done to the patient rather than informed by them.

• www.gmc-uk.org
  Read more at the General Medical Council website
• Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together
  Download a copy of the guidelines