Consent to treatment in bowel interventions: some legal issues

Bowel interventions are invasive and can be distressing for patients. In recent years there has been growing concern about how consent should be obtained for these interventions. Practitioners are becoming increasingly concerned about risk of litigation and accusations of abuse. The legal issues of consent for bowel interventions are illustrated below by means of different patient scenarios. In addition, the law relating to trespass to the person and the law relating to the duty of care to inform will be discussed in relation to mentally competent adults, mentally incapable adults, young people and children.