Children’s and parents’ informed and willing consent to heart surgery
This social science project is seeking to advance the debate on informed consent. The prospect of having any kind of medical procedure can be stressful and worrying, but often if we find out more about it and know what to expect, some of those worries can be eased. But knowing at what stage and how to inform and involve children in decisions about their planned heart surgery is tricky. When are they old enough to give consent, and when should it be left to their parents? Dr Sutcliffe and colleagues will address these questions by interviewing 40 patients aged 6-15 before and after heart surgery, their parents and 20 doctors and nurses. Through these interviews they will collect views on the best ways to inform, respect, support and involve young patients and their parents before surgery. The current practices around informed consent will also be observed in two hospitals and the related legal, medical and ethical debates will be reviewed. This project aims to inform policy on the issue of informed consent for children. The findings will help healthcare professionals and parents understand when and how best to seek children’s views about their own heart surgery, to minimise their stress, fear and misunderstanding.
Project details
| Grant amount | £122,555 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 September 2019 |
| Duration | 1 year, 6 months |
| Reference | PG/18/22/33604 |
| Status | In Progress |
