Page 106 - Registrar Orientation Manual 2016

Document reference:
1969
Effective date:
30 Mar 2010
Expiry date:
01 Jun 2013
Page:
14 of 24
Title:
Informed consent
Type:
Policy
Version:
03
Authorising initials:
6. Responsibilities
6.1. Who is responsible for
providing the information?
Team to enact the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and
Treatment) Act 1992 if appropriate
- if appropriate facilitate discharge or support self discharge (refer
to the Waikato DHB Admission, Discharge and Transfer policy) - if appropriate seek legal support from the Legal Services e.g.
treatment of child or young person
- document the patient’s refusal to consent in the patient’s clinical
record. (Refer to Appendix A, 8.1 for refusal of blood or blood products).
 The primary responsibility for ensuring the relevant essential information is provided to the patient lies with the person who is responsible for the procedure – the treating clinician.
 Where it is impracticable for all information to come from the health professional conducting the procedure, a proxy can be used. However, this person must be sufficiently qualified and experienced to convey information to the patient in order to enable the patient to understand their condition, the proposed treatment, its intended benefits, any risks and possible side effects.
 Anyone involved in the care or treatment of a patient who believes the patient is not being kept adequately informed must convey this to the clinician responsible for the patient’s care.
 The registered health professional responsible for the procedure being performed also has the responsibility to ensure the patient’s informed consent is obtained. This must be:
- the patient’s consultant or delegate (the delegate must have an appropriate scope of practise) in the in-patient environment.
- the patient’s key worker (in Mental Health Community Services)
- the patient’s primary health professional (in Community Services) - the patient’s Allied Health professional (for Allied Health
procedures).
 The Medical Council advises that no doctor should obtain a patient’s informed consent where they do not feel competent to do so. This principle applies to all health professionals.
All forms used for recording the patient’s informed consent shall:
 be approved by the Health Waikato Clinical Records Committee
 be filed in the patient’s clinical record.
6.2. Who is responsible for
obtaining informed consent?
6.3. Informed consent forms
7. Bloodandbloodproducts
 Blood and blood products are prescribed drugs (Medicines Act 1981 Schedule A). Refer to the Waikato DHB Medicines Management policy regarding their prescription and use.