Worked Examples: A Patient Refuses Treatment

Treatment refusal is one of the most common and challenging scenarios in the UCAT SJT. It sits at the intersection of patient autonomy, beneficence, capacity, and communication — all core ethical principles that the SJT assesses.

This lesson works through multiple treatment refusal scenarios with detailed analysis of why each response is rated as it is.

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The Legal and Ethical Framework

Before working through examples, you need to understand the rules that govern treatment refusal in the UK.

The Principle of Autonomy

A competent adult has an absolute right to refuse any treatment, even if that refusal will result in their death. This is a fundamental principle of medical ethics and English law.