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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

56: Right to independent advice from approved specialist

You could also call this:

"You can choose a specialist to give you a second opinion about your condition."

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

You have the right to get a second opinion about your condition from a specialist you choose. This specialist must be approved, and you can ask them to talk to you about your condition. If the specialist agrees to talk to you, they must be allowed to see you when they want to.

The specialist must also give you their opinion about your condition as soon as they can. You can choose a specialist to get advice from, and they will help you understand your condition better. The specialist's opinion will be based on their own assessment of your condition.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6609203.

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Health and wellbeing > Mental healthHealth and wellbeing > Public healthCrime and justice > Criminal law
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55: Rights in case of visual or audio recording, or

"Your rights when someone records you, like during an interview or treatment, are protected by law."

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57: Right to legal advice, or

"You can get help from a lawyer when you're a patient and need advice about your rights."

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

56Right to independent advice from approved specialist

  1. Every patient is entitled to seek a consultation with an approved specialist of the patient's choice in order to obtain a second opinion about the patient's condition.

  2. If the approved specialist agrees to the consultation, the approved specialist—

  3. must be permitted access to the patient when he or she requests to see the patient; and
    1. must provide his or her opinion about the patient’s condition as soon as practicable.

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