Jo a 30 year old male with a diagnosis of schizophrenia visited a hospital emergency department and demanded that a microchip controlling his thoughts be removed from his brain. When his demands were not met he threatened to harm the nurses. He is now under section 30 of the Mental Health (Compulsory assessment & Treatment) Act 1992 secondary to non-adherence to medication.
Police have escorted him to an acute psychiatric intensive care unit. Medical staff have offered Jo an anti-psychotic intramuscular injection, which he refuses to have. The team have decided to give him one without his consent.
Using the four principles of ethical conduct critically reflect and evaluate when and if it is appropriate to administer an intramuscular injection to Jo with regard to his recovery.
It is proposed that Jo's autonomy must be superseded by paternalism , it is right to give Jo an anti-psychotic injection.