What informed consent means in daily practice
Before you assess or treat, the patient should understand:
- what you are going to do, including any hands-on assessment;
- why, and what other options they have;
- the common and the serious risks;
- what it will cost;
- that they can ask questions, and stop at any time.
Explain it in the language the patient is comfortable in, then record it. A signed form does not replace the explanation, but it shows the explanation happened and keeps the date on file.
The forms most clinics need
- Consent to assessment and treatment. The everyday form for a new patient: you will ask about their health, check how they move, and may need to touch the area being assessed.
- Dry needling consent and screening. Screening questions for whatever changes whether needling is safe (bleeding problems and blood thinners, pregnancy, fainting with needles, conditions that slow healing, metal allergy, pacemakers, implants or lymphoedema), then what needling is, its common effects and its rare risks.
- Video consultation consent. What can and cannot be checked over video, and a phone number in case the call drops. More in our guide to tele-physiotherapy.
- Parent or guardian consent for a child. Who the child is, who may bring them, and the parent's consent.
- Photo and video consent. Separate from treatment consent, and clear about use: the patient's record only, teaching, or your website and social media.
- Fees and package agreement. Your fees, the expected number of sessions, and how packages work, agreed before treatment starts. Our guide to treatment packages explains why this saves arguments later.
Two more are policies rather than consent: an appointment and cancellation policy, and a before your home visit form for physios who treat at home.
Consent and personal data
Consent forms hold personal and health information, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 expects clear consent before personal data is used, and care in how it is kept. Read patient data security and the DPDP Act for what that means for a physio clinic.
Keep consent where you can find it
A consent form in a file cabinet is one nobody finds when it matters. Send forms with the booking so patients fill them at home and sign on their phone, and the signed copy goes straight to their file. Our guide to patient intake forms and the portal shows how.
Using the templates in Clinidiary
Open Settings, then Resources library, and press Add to my practice on each form you want. It becomes one of your forms, with signature on, ready to change: add your logo, your fees and your own cancellation rules. Then send it with bookings, or hand the tablet over at reception.
Frequently asked questions
Do physiotherapists need written consent?
Consent must be informed, and a written record is the clearest proof of it. Many clinics take written consent at the first visit and note verbal consent for later changes in treatment.
Does dry needling need its own consent form?
It is good practice. Dry needling has its own risks and its own screening questions, and a separate form makes sure they are covered.
Can I use these forms in Hindi or Gujarati?
Yes. Once added, a form is your clinic's own copy, so you can rewrite it in the language your patients read best.
Are these consent form templates free?
Yes. Read them on our resources page, or add them to Clinidiary in one click.