Informed Consent and Chaperones Course for UAE Healthcare Professionals

What you will learn

• Explain the consent and opposite-gender examination duties in Articles 4, 5, 8 and 9 of Federal Decree-Law No. (4) of 2016 and Articles 2 to 4 of Cabinet Resolution No. (40) of 2019.
• Identify which consent documents apply to your licence (DHA GU-05, DHA ST-66, the DOH Patient Consent Standard or federal law with facility policy) and where they differ.
• Determine when written consent is mandatory and apply the DHA validity periods for surgery, anaesthesia, blood and chemotherapy.
• Conduct a consent discussion that covers diagnosis, procedure, risks, alternatives, recovery, the treating team and costs, and check the patient's understanding.
• Assess whether an adult can make a specific decision, starting from the presumption of capacity at 18.
• Apply the correct substitute consent order for Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and the federal best-interest rule where relatives disagree.
• Manage consent for children, emergencies, refusal of treatment, withdrawal of consent and leaving against medical advice.
• Carry out opposite-gender and intimate examinations with a third party and prior consent (written in Dubai), respecting requests for same-gender providers.
• Obtain separate consent for photography, advertising use, student involvement, research and data sharing, and use professional interpreters.
• Document consent and chaperone presence correctly and respond to a consent-related complaint with insight and specific, verifiable change.

Syllabus

10 sections, about 2 learning hours, 20-question final assessment

1. 1The UAE legal framework for consent and chaperones3 lessons

   • Why consent and chaperone rules matter in UAE practice
   • The federal rules: Decree-Law 4/2016 and Cabinet Resolution 40/2019
   • Emirate standards: DHA, DOH and the other authorities
2. 2What makes consent valid3 lessons

   • Types of consent and when it must be written
   • What the patient must be told, by whom, and how
   • Voluntariness, timing and how long consent lasts
3. 3Capacity and substitute consent3 lessons

   • Capacity: presumption, assessment and fluctuation
   • Who may consent when the patient cannot: federal, DHA and DOH orders
   • Married women, reproductive health and the patient's own voice
4. 4Children, emergencies and refusal3 lessons

   • Children and young people
   • Emergencies and public-health exceptions
   • Refusal, withdrawal and leaving against medical advice
5. 5Chaperones and opposite-gender examinations3 lessons

   • The opposite-gender examination rule: federal law and Dubai
   • The third party: who, what they do, and patient preferences
   • Running a respectful examination, step by step
6. 6Special consent situations2 lessons

   • Images, students, research and data: separate consents
   • Language, culture and health literacy
7. 7Documentation, complaints and learning from concerns3 lessons

   • Documenting consent and chaperone presence
   • When consent goes wrong: complaints, committees and penalties
   • Red flags, insight and remediation
8. 8Conclusion and key points1 lesson

   • Conclusion and key points
9. 9References and further reading1 lesson

   • References and further reading
10. 10Your reflective account1 lesson

    • Your reflective account

Course facts

CPD value

Approximately 2 learning hours (self-directed CPD, including knowledge checks, reflection and assessment)

Audience

Physicians, dentists, nurses and midwives, pharmacists and allied health professionals licensed by MOHAP, DHA, DOH or SHA, or working in Dubai Healthcare City

Standards covered

Federal Decree-Law No. (4) of 2016 on Medical Liability (Arts 4, 5, 8, 9, 17); Cabinet Resolution No. (40) of 2019 (Arts 2–4); Ministerial Resolution No. (14) of 2021 (Patient's Rights and Responsibilities Charter); DHA Guidelines for Patient Consent GU-05 v1.1 (2024); DHA Standards for Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct ST-66 (2025); Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2024 (Schedule 4 items 19, 27, 28, 34); DOH Patient Consent Standard (2025); Federal Laws No. (5) of 2019 and No. (6) of 2023 (penalties)

Format

Self-paced, gated lessons with knowledge checks, UAE case studies and reflection

Assessment

20 scenario-based questions, 80% to pass (16 of 20)

Outcome

Certificate of completion and a written reflection for your professional development portfolio

Alignment

Supports DHA Code of Ethics ST-66 Standard 4 (Respect Patient Autonomy and Obtain Informed Consent) and its section 8 rule on examining a patient of a different gender; DHA GU-05; the DOH Patient Consent Standard; and, for MOHAP and SHA licensees, the federal Medical Liability law and the national Patient Charter

Price

AED 349

Who this course is for

Physicians, dentists, nurses and midwives, pharmacists and allied health professionals licensed by MOHAP, DHA, DOH or SHA, or working in Dubai Healthcare City.

Written for professionals licensed by any UAE authority: MOHAP, DHA, DOH, SHA or DHCR. Where the rules differ, the course explains the difference.