Recommendations – Consent from patients who may have been seriously assaulted

Forensic clinicians (forensic physicians (FPs) or other healthcare professionals (HCPs)) have a responsibility to consider the issue of consent before undertaking an examination of a patient who may have been seriously assaulted.

These guidelines offer advice to FPs and HCPs who are confronted with a situation where a person who may have been seriously physically or sexually assaulted lacks the capacity to consent to a forensic examination.