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Substance Addiction (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 2017

Assessment and treatment of persons suffering from severe substance addiction - Rights of patients - Rights applicable to all patients

51: Principal caregiver, welfare guardian, and nominated person to be informed of events affecting patient

You could also call this:

"People who care about you are told if something important happens while you're getting treatment."

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

If something important happens to you while you are getting treatment, the person in charge of your care must tell certain people about it. They must tell your main caregiver, your welfare guardian if you have one, and the person you have chosen to support you. They must also tell any person who is a guardian of your child and any agency that is helping you. The important events that must be reported include if you leave the treatment centre without permission, if you are moved to a different treatment centre, if you are no longer required to get compulsory treatment, or if someone applies to extend your compulsory treatment under section 46(1). The person in charge of your care must tell these people as soon as possible after they find out what has happened. If you are moved to a different treatment centre, they must also give the name, address, and contact details of the new 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=DLM6609198.

Topics:
Health and wellbeing > Mental healthRights and equality > Privacy
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50: Patient to be informed of his or her rights, or

"You have the right to know your patient rights and how to use them."

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52: Right to be dealt with in accordance with objective of compulsory treatment and with principles, or

"You have the right to fair treatment that follows the rules"

Part 2Assessment and treatment of persons suffering from severe substance addiction
Rights of patients: Rights applicable to all patients

51Principal caregiver, welfare guardian, and nominated person to be informed of events affecting patient

  1. If any of the events described in subsection (2) occur in relation to a patient, the responsible clinician must take all reasonably practicable steps to notify the following of the event:

  2. the patient’s principal caregiver:
    1. the patient’s welfare guardian (if the court has appointed one):
      1. the patient’s nominated person (if the patient has nominated one):
        1. any person who is a guardian of a child of the patient:
          1. any agency involved in providing relevant services to the patient.

            1. The events are—

            2. the patient is absent from the treatment centre without leave or fails to return after a period of leave ends:
              1. the patient is transferred to another treatment centre:
                1. the patient is released from compulsory status:
                  1. an application is made under section 46(1) to extend the duration of the patient’s compulsory treatment order.

                    1. The responsible clinician must give the notice as soon as practicable after becoming aware that the event has occurred.

                    2. If the patient is transferred to another treatment centre, the responsible clinician must also state in the notice the name, address, and contact details of that other treatment centre.