More than a silent witness

A nurse faces a difficult situation if a patient requests the truth about their condition but relatives, and other members of the care team, have requested that the patient is not told the truth. The nurse may find some guidance in the UKCC code of conduct which describes the nurse's duty to the patient, in the fact that patients have a legal right to information about their own condition, and in the Family Law Reform Act 1969 which says that no one can give consent on another adult's behalf. However, the decision rests with the individual nurse.