Shared decision making

The active involvement of people in making decisions about their own treatment is increasingly being viewed as an ethical imperative in all areas of health care, including youth mental health. Shared decision making is a semi-structured process that can promote such involvement. Yet it is often misperceived as simple ‘collaboration’. Some may view shared decision making as a time-consuming, unrealistic ideal, believing there is no benefit to be gained by implementing a more structured clinical approach.

This clinical practice point provides clinicians with more detail about the rationale and purpose of shared decision making and how to practically include it in your work with young people.