Consent – Mental Capacity Ltd

Gillick competence. Teenager receiving injection from doctor.

Gillick Competence and the Fraser Guidelines

2 February 202230 December 2023
Mental Capacity in Practice

The Mental Capacity Act (2005) currently applies to adults aged 16 years and above. However, as with many things, there are specific areas of exception. One of which is known as ‘Gillick Competency’ (or Gillick Competence), and the related Fraser Guidelines. These two important judgements set out rules around when a young person is deemed competent to make their own decisions without specific parental consent.

Elderly gentleman and young man in red hat smiling and enjoying time together. Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash.

Mental Capacity and consent

18 October 20213 January 2023
Mental Capacity in Practice

When I first started working in healthcare there was very little said about capacity yet there was a lot of emphasis said about consent, especially that of informed consent. Consent to treatment, consent to an intervention, consent to support with personal care, consent to speak to a family member, consent to take photos, consent to store information or share with the GP. The list is quite endless and is a staple of not just the health care system, but our society as a whole that has grown in importance over the years.