The General Medical Council (GMC) has published its updated Decision making and consent guidance, which comes into effect on 9 November 2020.

The guidance will support doctors to practise shared decision making and help their patients to make healthcare decisions that are right for them.  New features include:

  • a focus on taking a proportionate approach, acknowledging not every paragraph of the guidance will be relevant to every decision
  • seven key principles which summarise the guidance
  • a new section to help doctors find out what matters to patients so they can share relevant information to help them decide between viable options
  • suggestions for how other members of the healthcare team can support decision making.