§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers he has to regulate the medical profession's prescription and treatment of under-age children without parental consent. [4113]
§ Ms BlearsHealth professionals work to the legal principle, drawn from case law, that a young person under 16 may give consent for him/herself if the health professional treating them considers them to have sufficient understanding and intelligence to understand228W fully what is proposed. This is described as competence and is judged by the health professional on a case-by-case basis.
If a young person under 16 is considered competent to consent lo the proposed treatment, parental consent is not legally necessary. However the involvement of a parent or other appropriate adult should be encouraged.