A 17-year-old woman with moderate learning difficulties attends for a desogestrel POP prescription. Her mother accompanies her and says she should be ...

Question

A 17-year-old woman with moderate learning difficulties attends for a desogestrel POP prescription. Her mother accompanies her and says she should be put on contraception. The patient appears uncertain. What principle governs the decision to prescribe?

Accepted Answer

The patient must be assessed for capacity to consent to treatment in her own right

Answer

Parental consent is sufficient for under-18s

Answer

Contraception can be provided on the basis of the mothers request alone

Answer

No capacity assessment is needed as she is 17 and legally an adult for medical decisions

Answer

Contraception should be refused until she can clearly articulate her wishes

uk-dfsrh MCQ (SBA): Capacity Assessment Learning Difficulties

A 17-year-old woman with moderate learning difficulties attends for a desogestrel POP prescription. Her mother accompanies her and says she should be put on contraception. The patient appears uncertain. What principle governs the decision to prescribe?