Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017

Assessment and treatment of persons suffering from severe substance addiction - Compulsory treatment of patients

37: Treatment given or authorised by responsible clinician

You could also call this:

"Doctor decides your substance addiction treatment"

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

If you are getting treatment for severe substance addiction, the doctor in charge of your care can decide what treatment you should get. The doctor can give you medication or other treatments that they think will help you. When the doctor gives you medication, they must think about how it might affect you. The doctor must also make sure you get the smallest amount of medication necessary, so you can still talk to people who are helping you with your case.

The doctor can only give you treatments that they are allowed to give. This means that if there's a treatment the doctor can't normally give, they can't give it to you just because of this law. You will get the treatment that the doctor thinks is best for your substance addiction.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6609181.

Topics:
Health and wellbeing > Mental healthHealth and wellbeing > Public healthCrime and justice > Criminal law
Previous

36: Requirement to accept treatment, or

"You must follow your treatment plan and listen to your doctors and nurses."

Next

38: Requirement to stay in treatment centre, or

"You must stay in a treatment centre until the law says you can leave."

Part 2Assessment and treatment of persons suffering from severe substance addiction
Compulsory treatment of patients

37Treatment given or authorised by responsible clinician

  1. The responsible clinician may, subject to this Act, give, or authorise the giving of, any treatment (including any medication) that the responsible clinician thinks fit for the treatment of the patient's severe substance addiction.

  2. A responsible clinician who gives, or authorises the giving of, any medication to a patient under this Act must—

  3. have due regard to the possible effects of the medication; and
    1. give, or authorise the giving of, the minimum medication, consistent with proper care, to ensure that the patient is not prevented, by reason of that medication, from communicating adequately with any other person who may be engaged in any proceeding to represent the patient.

      1. To avoid doubt, this section does not authorise a responsible clinician to prescribe any treatment (including any medication) that the responsible clinician is not otherwise authorised to prescribe.