Consent for teaching

Consent for teaching was introduced as a result of the Cartwright Inquiry and is part of the Health and Disability Code of Health and Disability Consumer Rights. A consensus statement developed by Otago and Auckland medical schools states that the need to gain consent cannot be set aside on the grounds of inadequate time or resource. This viewpoint argues that a singular focus on patient experience, whilst ignoring the other elements of the quality framework, is not appropriate. "Consent" is a poor word in most circumstances to describe the complex interaction with a patient over time. Rather than strengthening codes of behaviour, an approach of a broader view of the overall quality of the interaction and a focus on cultural safety holds more promise.