PATIENTS RIGHTS
PRESENTED BY:
JEREMIA CHAVULA
CLASS: NMT
(7:30AM TO 9:30AM; 26/9/14)
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this session students should
be able to:
• Understand patients’ rights and
responsibilities
• Discuss challenges that may encounter
while enforcing patients rights
• Identify solutions to the challenges
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INTRODUCTION
As health care workers we need to
understand the patients’ rights and
responsibilities to ensure that in due
course of providing health services to
these patients especially PLHIV, none of
their rights is violated
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PATIENTS’ RIGHTS
1. Right to access health care
2. Right to choice and second opinion
3. Right to adequate information and
health education
4. Right to informed consent/refusal of
treatment
5. Right to participation/representation
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PATIENTS’ RIGHTS CT..
6. Right to respect and dignity
7. Right to a guardian
8. Right to privacy and confidentiality
9. Right to safe environment
10. Right to complain about health services
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1. RIGHT TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE
• Every individual shall have access to
health care and treatment according to
his/her health needs
• Every patient has the right to be cared for
by a competent health worker regardless
of age, gender, ethnicity, religion,
economic status and without any form of
discrimination
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1. RIGHT TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE
CONT..
• Every patient has the right to access
medicines, vaccines and other
pharmaceutical supplies of acceptance
standards in terms of quality, efficacy and
safety as determined by the pharmacy,
medicines and Poisons Board
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1. RIGHT TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE
CONT..
• Every individual has the right to prompt
emergency treatment from the nearest
public health facility until the condition is
stabilised and within 24 hours and in
accordance with Public Health Act
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2. RIGHT TO CHOICE AND SECOND
OPINION
• Every patient has the right to choose a
health facility from which to obtain care
in line with the health delivery system
• Every patient has the right to second
opinion at any time
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3. RIGHT TO ADEQUATE
INFORMATION AND HEALTH
EDUCATION
• Every patient has the right to know the
identity and professional status of the
person providing the care
• Every patient has the right to have adequate
information regarding all aspects of care,
including the right to adequate information
on diagnosis and tests performed; medicines
prescribed; reason for prescription, the
dose, duration of taking medicine, side
effects and safety
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3. RIGHT TO ADEQUATE
INFORMATION AND HEALTH
EDUCATION CONT
• Every patient shall be informed of the
reason for any referral to another health
facility or health care provider
• Every patient shall be given information
about self-care, drug administration and
preventive measures which may be
necessary
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3. RIGHT TO ADEQUATE
INFORMATION AND HEALTH
EDUCATION CONT
• Every individual has the right to seek and
obtain information regarding preventive,
curative and rehabilitative medicine
• Every patient has the right to know his or
her prognosis
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[Link] TO INFORMED
CONSENT/REFUSAL OF TREATMENT
• Every patient or guardian shall provide
informed consent before any surgical or
invasive procedure is carried, but such
consent may be waived in case of
emergency or in certain psychiatric cases
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[Link] TO PARTICIPATION
/REPRESENTATION
• Every patient has the right to participate
in decision making affecting his/her
health through;
Discussion with the health professionals and
personnel involved in direct health care
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[Link] TO PARTICIPATION
/REPRESENTATION CONT….
Consumer and community representation in
planning and evaluating the system of health
services, the types and qualities of service
and the conditions under which health
services are or were delivered
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[Link] TO RESPECT AND DIGNITY
• Every patient shall be treated with
kindness, consideration, respect and
dignity without regard to age, gender,
ethnicity, economic status and without
any form of discrimination
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[Link] TO A GUARDIAN
• Every patient/child admitted to a hospital
shall, wherever possible, have the right to
the company of a parent or guardian
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[Link] TO PRIVACY AND
CONFIDENTIALITY
• Every individual has the right to have
details regarding his/her diagnosis,
treatment, prognosis and other aspects of
his/her care kept confidential
• There may be situations when there may
be need to disclose the patient’s
information, for instance:
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[Link] TO PRIVACY AND
CONFIDENTIALITY CONT
If authorised by the patient
Public health reason
If patient is unable to consent and in the
patient’s own interest to disclose such
information
If the information is required for the legal
process
If medical records are required for
continued care by another health care
provider
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[Link] TO SAFE ENVIRONMENT
• Every individual has the right to a safe
and clean health care facility
-slippery free floors
-free from sharp objects
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[Link] TO COMPLAIN ABOUT
HEALTH SERVICES
• Every individual has the right to complain
about health care services and to have
complaints investigated and to receive a
full response on such investigation
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INDVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
• What are some of the rights that are
often times, unconsciously violated as we
provide health services to PLHIV?
• What are the causes?
• What should be done to prevent/avoid
such mistakes?
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PATIENTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
PRESENTED BY:
JEREMIA CHAVULA
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RESPONSIBILITIES
• Every patient shall ensure that he/she
knows and understands what the
patients’ rights are and shall exercise the
rights reasonably and responsibly
• Every patient shall conduct
himself/herself so as not to interfere with
the rights or well being of other patients
and health care providers
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RESPONSIBILITIES CONT…
• Every patient shall accept all the
consequences of the patient’s own
informed decisions
• Every patient has the responsibility to
ensure or maintain his/her own health
and that of society by refraining from:
-Consumption of unhealthy food and
water
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RESPONSIBILITIES CONT…
-Consumption of alcohol, drugs,
substance of abuse and tobacco
-unhealthy food and water
-Irresponsible sexual activity and other life
styles that are hazards to health
-Degradation of the environment
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RESPONSIBILITIES CONT…
• Every patient has the responsibility to
provide health care providers with
relevant and accurate information for
diagnostic treatment, rehabilitation or
counselling purposes
• Every patient must know his/her local
health care providers and what services
they offer
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RESPONSIBILITIES CONT…
• Where applicable, every patient is
responsible for setting his/her bills at
times as requested by the health
providers
• Every patient shall comply with the
prescribed treatment and keep
appointments and shall inform the health
professional in good time if unable to do
so
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RESPONSIBILITIES CONT…
• Every patient has the responsibility to
take care of his/her health records in
his/her possession
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INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
• What is the role of health care workers to
ensure that every one knows and
understands these rights?
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HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS’
RIGHTS
PRESENTED BY:
JEREMIA CHAVULA
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A HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDER
HAS A RIGHT TO :
1. Access to equipment and supplies
• Every health worker has the right to access
at least minimum equipment and supplies
necessary for patient care at all times
2. Continuing education
• Every health worker has the right to career
development to improve competence in
patient’ care
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A HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDER
HAS A RIGHT TO :
• Every health worker has the right to
continuing education in the area of
specialty/assignment to improve patient
care
3. Respect and dignity
• Every health worker has the right to be
treated with consideration, respect and
dignity by his/her employer, patients,
guardians and the community at large
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A HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDER
HAS A RIGHT TO :
4. Working hours and rest
• Every health worker has the right to
working hours and adequate rest period
that are clearly defined
5. Occupational health and protection
• Every health worker shall have the right
to a working condition and environment
that protect his/her own health and that
of the patient
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A HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDER HAS
A RIGHT TO :
• Every health worker has the right of
access to prompt treatment for
infections acquired while discharging
his/her duties
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A HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDER HAS A
RIGHT TO :
6. Professional Practice
• Every health worker has the right to
practice professionally without
hindrance and/or undue influence with
existing laws and regulations
7. Right to Complain
• Every health worker has the right to
complain through an established
complaint system about violation of any
of the rights stipulated herein
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HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS’
RESPONSIBILITIES
PRESENTED BY:
JEREMIA CHAVULA
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HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS’
RESPONSIBILITIES
• Be licensed with an appropriate
professional body at all times and shall
maintain current such license
• Have the requisite professional
qualifications commensurate with the
requirements of the job
• Comply with the ethical provisions of the
profession in which they are in
• Comply with professional codes of
conduct
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HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS’
RESPONSIBILITIES CT..
• Familiarize himself/herself and comply
with standard precautions against
infection of himself/herself and patients
• Familiarize himself/herself and comply
with the provisions of the Charter on
Patients’ and Health Service Providers’
Rights and Responsibility
• Conduct his/her duties in the best
interest of the patient
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HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDERS’
RESPONSIBILITIES CT..
• Keep up to date with current
developments in professional practice
and update his/her professional skills
and knowledge
• Comply with ethical requirements with
respect to research/experimentation on
human beings in accordance with
national research guidelines
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