Consent

  • Valid consent is essential for any procedural sedation and analgesia to be performed. [14]
  • Information should be provided at an appropriate time (not the last moment), to allow for a discussion and patient questions. Risks and benefits must be clearly explained and a distinction between average and personalised risk made. [2]
  • Alternatives to sedation (typically general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia with behavioural techniques) should be explained also.
  • Verbal consent may be sufficient but should be recorded in the patients clinical notes.