Consent to treatment

Explains your rights around giving consent to or refusing treatment. Find out what consent means, when you could be treated without your consent, and how to make complaints.

View this information as a PDF (new window)

Useful contacts – consent to treatment

Mind's services

Mind's Legal Line provides legal information and general advice by phone.
Local Minds offer face-to-face services across England and Wales. These services include talking therapies, peer support and advocacy.

How to find an advocate

To find advocacy services and groups in your area, you could call Mind's Legal Line on 0300 466 6463 or contact your local Mind.

If you're in hospital, you can also contact the:

Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS) in England
Community Health Council in Wales

In some situations, you may be legally entitled to the support of an advocate. For more information, see our page on your legal rights to advocacy.

Other organisations

Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA)

0345 123 2352
avma.org.uk
Advice and support for people affected by avoidable harm in healthcare.

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

cqc.org.uk
Regulates and inspects health and social care services in England.

Civil Legal Advice (CLA)

gov.uk/civil-legal-advice
Can tell you if you're eligible for legal aid, and give you free and confidential legal advice if so.

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

equalityhumanrights.com
Promotes and monitors human rights and equality.

First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health)

gov.uk/courts-tribunals/first-tier-tribunal-mental-health
Deals with cases in England relating to the Mental Health Act 1983.

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW)

hiw.org.uk
Independent regulator for healthcare in Wales, where you can make complaints and provide feedback.

HealthWatch England

healthwatch.co.uk
Helps represent people who use health and social care services in England.

Law Centres Network

lawcentres.org.uk
Information about Law Centres, which defend the legal rights of people who can't afford a lawyer. Includes a searchable directory.

LawWorks

lawworks.org.uk
Connects volunteer lawyers with people who aren't eligible for legal aid and can't afford to pay for legal advice. Includes details of free legal advice clinics.

Mental Health Lawyers Association

mhla.co.uk
Professional association for solicitors specialising in mental health law. Includes a list of solicitors by local area.

Office of the Public Guardian

gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-public-guardian
Protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

0345 015 4033
ombudsman.org.uk
Makes final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS in England and UK government departments.

Public Services Ombudsman for Wales

0300 790 0203
ombudsman-wales.org.uk
Looks into complaints about public services and independent care providers in Wales.

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This information was published in September 2022. We will revise it in 2025.

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