The issue of medicating unwilling patients arose today. In this instance there is the issue of mental capacity, the ability to make limited choices.

Cognitive capacity is a question which will arise in many care cases and in particular with people with dementia. While an individual may not have the ability in law to consent to certain events, should not be signing formal papers, may not be safe to care for himself or herself, even a reduced ability to make choices still must be respected in daily living.

A large number of dementia sufferers can and do make some choices in their daily lives, like what clothes to wear, whether they want to go out or not, whether they feel like having a wash, choosing a meal, or taking medications.

Even if there is a very low mental ability, a person in need of medical treatment cannot be forced to take it, nor can anyone be forced to take medications, not without other legal actions first being imposed for the purpose. Rightly, that would be extreme and a last resort; it would involve the assessment of professionals of other disciplines.

At what point should intervention be considered? This is a vexed question, one which, I am sure even doctors do not like to arbitrate upon.