title: Who decides on treatment: the patient versus the state.
abstract: In March this year, we held our seventh annual symposium entitled: 'Who decides on treatment: the patient versus the State'. Within the NHS, there are many levels at which treatment decisions are made. At one extreme, decisions involve individuals at the point of 'delivery' and so are taken during the consultation and involving the patient and prescriber. At the other extreme, decisions are a national matter and taken by government. The symposium explored the changing environments of decision-making and the contribution of those involved. Here we summarise the talks and incorporate ideas that arose in discussion.
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D006076:Government; D006801:Humans; D010358:Patient Participation; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom