- [you must] wherever possible, avoid providing medical care to yourself or anyone with whom you have a close personal relationship.6.
In addition, wherever possible, a doctor should avoid acting as an occupational health adviser to an individual where another relationship exists, e.g. as manager, departmental colleague or primary health care physician. If this is unavoidable, particular care should be taken to ensure that the individual understands the context of the consultation and agrees to its terms.
- You must be satisfied that you have consent or other valid authority before you carry out any examination or investigation, provide treatment or involve patients or volunteers in teaching or research.2., 8., 9.
Other sources of guidance on consent include the Faculty’s Ethics Guidance for Occupational Health Practice. Extracts from Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together and Confidentiality that illustrate important principles about consent and disclosure are copied in red below, with some additional commentary.