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Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017

Assessment and treatment of persons suffering from severe substance addiction - Imposition and review of compulsory status

28: Responsible clinician to be assigned

You could also call this:

"A doctor is chosen to help you with your treatment when you need compulsory help for substance addiction."

Illustration for Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017

When you are getting help for a severe substance addiction, someone called the Area Director is told who you are. The Area Director must then assign a responsible clinician to you as soon as possible. This is done after the Area Director is notified under section 25 of who you are.

The Area Director tries to choose a responsible clinician who is not the same doctor that signed the certificate saying you need compulsory treatment.

The responsible clinician is assigned to you to help with your treatment.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6609170.

Topics:
Health and wellbeing > Mental healthHealth and wellbeing > Public health
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27: If compulsory treatment certificate not signed, advice must be given, or

"If a doctor says you don't need compulsory treatment, they must give you or your caregiver advice on what to do next."

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29: Initial steps to be taken by responsible clinician, or

"What your doctor must do to help you with substance addiction treatment"

Part 2Assessment and treatment of persons suffering from severe substance addiction
Imposition and review of compulsory status

28Responsible clinician to be assigned

  1. As soon as practicable after the Area Director is notified under section 25 of the identity of a patient, the Area Director must assign a responsible clinician to the patient.

  2. Wherever practicable, the Area Director must not assign as a patient’s responsible clinician the approved specialist who signed the compulsory treatment certificate in respect of the patient.