AlphaMED Resources · https://alphamedicine.uk/Resources/glossary/patient-advocacy
Patient advocacy
Patient advocacy is speaking up for a patient's interests and rights, especially when they cannot do so themselves.
Summary
- Doctors and nurses are expected to act as advocates for their patients.
- Some patients have a legal right to an independent advocate, including people detained under the Mental Health Act.
- Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, an independent advocate must be appointed when a person lacks capacity and has nobody other than paid carers to consult about serious medical treatment or a long stay in a hospital or care home.
- Advocacy means supporting the patient's own view, even when the advocate would choose differently.
Interview questions
- What does it mean to be an advocate for a patient?
- A patient with a learning disability is being left out of decisions about their care. What do you do?
- What if what the patient wants is different from what you think is best for them?
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
alphamedicine.uk/Services · alphamedicine.uk/Contact
More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.