← Professional, legal and policy
Safeguarding, consent and open disclosure: RCSI aptitude test practice questions
About this topic
Safeguarding, consent and open disclosure on the RCSI theory paper
HSE National Consent Policy, Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, adult safeguarding, complaints, open disclosure.
36 multiple-choice questions, each with an explanation and the document it was checked against. Three questions are free; the pass opens the other 33 and every other topic. Wrong answers come back first the next time you practise, and a question counts as mastered after two correct answers in a row.
Sample questions from this topic
Question 1
A patient with capacity makes a decision the team considers unwise. What does the HSE consent policy say?
- AThe team may override an unwise decision
- BAn unwise choice shows the patient lacks capacity
- CThe family may decide instead of the patient
- DAn unwise choice is not evidence of lacking capacity
Show answer
Answer: D. HSE consent policy and the 2015 Act: a person is not to be considered as unable to make a decision merely because they make what others regard as an unwise decision. Capacity is about the process of deciding, not the outcome.
Source: HSE National Consent Policy 2022 (v1.2, effective January 2024), Part One, sections 5.2 and 5.2.3
Question 2
What is the starting presumption about an adult’s capacity under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015?
- AEvery adult is presumed to have capacity
- BCapacity must be proven before treatment
- CAdults over 80 are presumed to lack capacity
- DCapacity is presumed if a relative confirms it
Show answer
Answer: A. Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 guiding principle: every adult is presumed to have capacity unless the contrary is shown, and a person is not to be treated as lacking capacity just because they need support to decide.
Source: HSE National Consent Policy 2022 (v1.2, effective January 2024), Part One, section 5.2.1
Question 3
What are the four elements of the functional test of decision-making capacity in the HSE consent policy and the 2015 Act?
- ARead, write, sign and date
- BUnderstand, retain, use and weigh, communicate
- CAgree, confirm, repeat and sign
- DKnow the date, place, doctor and diagnosis
Show answer
Answer: B. The functional test in the 2015 Act and the HSE policy: the person can understand the relevant information, retain it long enough to make the decision, use and weigh it, and communicate the decision by any means. Capacity is decision-specific and time-specific.
Source: HSE National Consent Policy 2022 (v1.2, effective January 2024), Part One, sections 5.6 and 5.7.1
The practice above shuffles the options each time and keeps your score. 30 more free questions across the paper, with a PDF.
Documents behind these questions
Every fact was checked against the public document named on the answer. This topic draws on: