Assessing the capacity of patients is an essential skill for all doctors, not least surgeons, as it is intimately related to taking consent and treating any patient correctly.
In one of the most important podcasts from the School of Surgery, Ricky Ellis and Christine Taylor discuss capacity, the Mental Capacity Act, how to assess and enhance capacity and how to care for patients without capacity. The 5 key principles of the Mental Capacity Act are clearly explained as is how to act in the best interest of patients without capacity - for example, the unconscious patient who requires life threatening surgery, with a best interests checklist to help you do thing correctly. How to deal with Advanced Directives or advanced decisions to refuse treatment is clearly explained here too.
Its a long podcast but not knowing about issues related to capacity can lead to charges of assault being brought or omission of care leading to charges of negligence.
This may be one of the most important 20 minutes you can spend, whether you are a medical student, doctor or anyone else involved in the treatment of patients.