THIRD PARTY POLICY

Third Party Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Staff at Diggers Rest Medical Centre seek consent for the presence of a third party during a patient’s consultation.   A patient is entitled to either consent to or decline the presence of a third party.

Applicability

This policy applies to all employees, patients, visitors, guests, interpreters, and chaperones of Diggers Rest Medical Centre.

Procedure

• All patients have the right to either consent to or decline to consent to the presence of a third party during their consultation.
• Third party consent can be requested by the patient or by the practitioner.
• Ensure that the patient is fully aware of their rights and has the capacity to make an informed decision regarding their consent to a third party during their consultation.
• A third party may be a family member, partner, friend, guardian, interpreter, chaperone, medical or nursing student or another general practitioner or health professional.
• When third party consent is requested, the patient will be required to complete a Patient Consent Form – Third Party
• This form will be scanned and kept in the patient file.
• All patients have the right to decline the presence of a third party during their consultation without fear of repercussions.

Internal Links

• Diggers Rest Privacy Policy Brochure
• Management of Health Information (Privacy Policy).

External Links

Privacy and managing health information in general practice https://www.racgp.org.au/FSDEDEV/media/documents/Running%20a%20practice/Protecting%20practice%20information/Privacy-and-managing-health-information-in-general-practice.pdf