When is a consent form not required for treatment?

A consent form is not required for treatment when the patient is unconscious and critically injured due to the principle of implied consent in emergency medical situations. In such cases, it is assumed that a reasonable person would want life-saving treatment if they were able to consent. The law recognizes that immediate medical intervention is necessary to prevent serious harm or death, and obtaining explicit consent may not be feasible.

In contrast, having a conscious patient implies they can understand and make informed decisions about their own care, and thus consent would typically be required. If a patient verbally agrees, it would generally still require documented consent. In situations where a guardian is present, consent must often be obtained from the guardian rather than assuming that treatment can proceed without formal consent.