Reading List

Key sources to support the course and to consult when you need more detailed guidance on consent in optical practice.

• GOC - Consent guidance
  Optical-specific guidance on valid consent, communication, capacity and professional responsibilities.
  https://optical.org/standards-and-guidance/guidance/consent.html

• GOC Standards for Optical Businesses - patients can give valid consent to treatment
  Business-level requirements for ensuring patients can give valid consent and for governance of services.
  https://optical.org/standards-and-guidance/standards/standards-for-optical-businesses/1-4-patients-can-give-valid-consent-to-treatment.html

• NHS - Consent to treatment
  A public overview of valid consent covering information provision, voluntariness, capacity and withdrawal.
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/consent-to-treatment/

• NHS - Capacity and consent
  Explains the relationship between capacity and consent and why capacity is decision-specific.
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/consent-to-treatment/capacity/

• NHS - Children and young people: consent to treatment
  Guidance on consent for 16 and 17 year olds, assessing under-16 competence, parental responsibility and confidentiality.
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/consent-to-treatment/children/

• College of Optometrists - Consent
  Optometry guidance on consent, communication, assessing capacity and involving patients in care decisions.
  https://www.college-optometrists.org/clinical-guidance/guidance/communication%2C-partnership-and-teamwork/consent

• NICE NG197 - Shared decision making
  Guidance on involving people in decisions about their care, including communication, support and systems to help decisions.
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng197

• NICE NG108 - Decision-making and mental capacity
  Guidance on supporting decision-making when mental capacity may be relevant.
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng108

• GOV.UK - Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice
  The statutory code for England and Wales where capacity and consent overlap.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice

• Scottish Government - Adults with Incapacity Act principles
  Scottish guidance on decision-making for adults who may lack capacity for some decisions.
  https://www.gov.scot/publications/adults-with-incapacity-act-principles/

• Department of Health Northern Ireland - Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice
  Northern Ireland guidance and key documents for the Mental Capacity Act framework.
  https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/articles/mental-capacity-act-code-practice-and-other-key-documents

Use these readings to improve local consent practice, particularly where support staff tasks touch on clinical decisions, capacity, care of children, confidentiality or vulnerable patients.