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• An adult’s legal right to consent marks the fundamental difference between approaches in safeguarding adults and safeguarding children
• Empowerment involves a proactive approach to seeking consent, maximisi
ng the person’s involvement in decisions about their care, safety and protection
• This involves risk management based on understanding the person, understanding their autonomy and how they view the risks they face
• There may be risks the person welcomes because it enhances their quality of life;risks the person is prepared to tolerate and risks they want to eliminate
• Patients have the right to make choices about their care and treatment – this includes making decisions about their safety, even where those decisions may seem to others to be unwise
• ‘…a person who is capable of giving their consent has the right to refuse treatment. You must respect this right. You must also make sure they are fully aware of the risk of refusing treatment, particularly if you think there is a significant or immediate risk to life.’
(The Health Professions Council standards)