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Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017

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

39: Leave of absence on compassionate, medical, or other grounds

You could also call this:

"Time off from a treatment centre for a good reason, like being sick or sad, if it's safe for you."

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

If you are a patient in a treatment centre, the doctor in charge of your care can let you leave the centre for a while. The doctor can choose how long you can be away and what conditions you must follow while you are away. The doctor can make this decision for any reason they think is right, such as if you need to see another doctor or if something sad has happened to you.

The doctor can only let you leave if they are sure you won't hurt yourself while you are away. They must make sure that everything possible is done to keep you safe. This means the doctor will think carefully before making a decision about letting you leave the treatment centre.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6609183.

Topics:
Health and wellbeing > Mental healthHealth and wellbeing > Public health
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38: Requirement to stay in treatment centre, or

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

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40: Return of patient, or

"What happens if you leave your treatment centre without permission and need to be brought back"

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

39Leave of absence on compassionate, medical, or other grounds

  1. The responsible clinician may permit the patient to be absent from a treatment centre for any period, and on the conditions, that the responsible clinician thinks fit.

  2. Permission may be given on any grounds the responsible clinician thinks fit, including, for example, compassionate grounds or that the patient requires medical treatment.

  3. The responsible clinician must not permit the absence unless the responsible clinician is satisfied that, as far as is practicable, adequate measures have been taken to prevent the patient from causing harm to himself or herself.