Recurring concern
Inadequate informed-consent processes for medical treatment
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Request correctionFirst reported 1 Jul 2014•Latest report 28 Dec 2025
What this concern includes
Includes failures of medical-treatment consent processes, including initiation, information about material risks, time for consideration, consistency of procedure, assessment of consent and documentation, where the failure is directly tied to obtaining valid informed consent.
Not included
- Excludes legal-status or detention transfers that do not concern consent to medical treatment.
- Excludes general communication, training, documentation or staffing deficiencies unless they are directly tied to the medical-treatment consent process.
- Excludes clinical assessment or treatment-selection failures that do not concern obtaining or recording informed consent.
- Reports
- 31
- Individual concerns
- 37
- Date range
- 2014–2025
- Stated actions
- 56
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to provide advice and explanations for informed pregnancy and delivery decisions
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to record known information about previous contrast exposure on the consent form
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised2
Insufficient outpatient access for informed-consent advice and discussion
Absence of a system ensuring informed consent before procedure admission
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.6
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Action
Review Trust consent processes and pathways for elective procedures through a task and finish group.
Stated by Barts Health NHS Trust -
Action
Develop a new Trust policy governing informed consent and supported decision-making for elective surgical procedures.
Stated by Barts Health NHS Trust -
Action
Consult on the draft informed-consent policy before submitting it for Trust Policies Committee approval.
Stated by Barts Health NHS Trust
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Action
Submit the informed-consent policy for Trust Policies Committee approval within the anticipated two-to-three-month period.
Stated by Barts Health NHS Trust -
Action
Introduce and rigorously implement the revised consent process, including extended outpatient clinic times, consent documentation and revised job plans.
Stated by Barts Health NHS Trust -
Action
Audit consent-process performance through the Trust’s internal audit, quality and safety meetings, hospital boards and surgical governance structures after policy approval.
Stated by Barts Health NHS Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to formally review mental capacity to consent to treatment
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.6
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Action
Implement an MDT meeting template to record family concerns, review capacity and consent, incorporate multidisciplinary information, and document agreed actions.
Stated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Continue auditing MDT template use, capacity assessments, and responses to family concerns.
Stated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Set expectations that doctors regularly assess and document informal patients’ capacity and consent during weekly MDT reviews.
Stated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Require ward pharmacists to review off-license medication processes, including discussions, capacity, efficacy, risks and benefits, and share concerns with prescribers and Clinical Directors.
Stated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Conducted a follow-up inspection of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust’s acute wards to assess whether specific improvements had been made.
Stated by Care Quality Commission -
Action
Return to inspect Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and follow up the identified concerns to check that necessary improvements have been made.
Stated by Care Quality Commission
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Specific circumstances of Julia MacPherson’s individual care and treatment fall outside the regulator’s remit for comment.
Stated by Care Quality Commission
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Concerns raised1
Inadequate consent discussions about major-surgery risks
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to provide balanced relevant facts for informed consent
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
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Action
Review Trust and specialty guidance on consent for informed patient choice.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Strengthen specialty guidance on instrumental delivery and caesarean section to reflect RCOG consent guidance and informed patient choice.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Require obstetric and gynaecological medical staff to complete the introduced obstetric consent module every three years.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Monitor uptake of the obstetric consent training.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Use trainee feedback meetings and senior-staff appraisal to support reflection and learning about the consent process.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Existing Trust-wide consent guidance is considered clear and compliant with Montgomery, although specialty guidance is being strengthened.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Failure to complete consent detailing chest drain complications
This report raised 22 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Audit and reinforce complete consent documentation, including procedural risks, benefits, complications and radiological indication for chest-drain insertion.
Stated by Circle Health Group Limited
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
The radiology department already used the WHO procedural checklist, required comprehensive consent and audited compliance.
Stated by Circle Health Group Limited
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Concerns raised1
Use of an inadequate standard consent form for transplant operations
This report raised 8 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to obtain informed consent for administering medication to which a patient has a known allergy
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Require medical teams to discuss administration of allergy-causing medication with patients or applicable relatives, obtain consent, and document it.
Stated by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised2
Failure to document unavailable consent or self-consenting rationale
Failure to obtain consent to treatment
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Roll out refresher training on mental-capacity, consent and communication policies.
Stated by Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Data last updated 7 September 2026