As a carer you may have your own personal views about taking part in screening. Your view may differ from that of the person you care for. You may feel that the person you care for is not making the ‘right’ decision. You must remember that your role is to provide the person with the correct information (in an appropriate format) and support, so that they can make an informed decision to take part in screening or not.
You may have to support someone who:
It is important that you know what you can and cannot do legally to help the person in these situations. If a person is able to make their own decision it is up to them to choose what they would like to do. If the person can make decisions sometimes or cannot make decisions at all, there is a legal framework in place to check if they have the ability to make their own decisions. This legal framework is known as the Mental Capacity Act (2005). It is very important that you know what you can and cannot do in relation to the Mental Capacity Act. If you are supporting someone through bowel screening and are not sure what to do, you should contact us or talk to your GP.