Complications within consent.

The consent process is intended to protect patients, prevent complaint and litigation, and help practitioners to be accountable, to justify their decisions, and to inform and involve patients/parents in their health care. Medico-legal guidance poses uncertainties and dilemmas that can undermine these aims and deter some practitioners from informing and involving patients/parents in decision making. Greater recognition of contradictions and limitations in the guidance on consent could assist practitioners and patients/parents in their shared decision making.