The Safe Practice Podcast

S1E4 - Decision-making capacity.


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Using a hypothetical case study, we discuss multiple important concepts regarding decision-making capacity:

 
1.     Can the Mental Health Act be used to enforce treatment for physical ailments?
Link to the NSW Mental Health Act:
https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2007-008
 
2.     What is decision-making capacity?
·       When do we need to formally assess decision-making capacity?
·       What about patients with mental illness?
Useful links:
o   NSW Health Consent to Medical and Healthcare Treatment Manual:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/manuals/Publications/consent-manual.pdf
o   NSW Government Capacity Toolkit:
https://www.tag.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/CapacityToolkit2020_1.pdf
 
3.     Are health professionals obliged to prevent patients from making unwise health decisions?
·       What if those unwise decisions are likely to result in the patient's harm or death?
      
Useful links:
o   NSW Health Consent to Medical and Healthcare Treatment Manual:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/manuals/Publications/consent-manual.pdf
o   NSW Government Capacity Toolkit:
https://www.tag.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/CapacityToolkit2020_1.pdf
Find me on Instagram @thesafepracticepodcast.
All content and opinions within this podcast are my own, and are not those of any organisation with which I am affiliated.

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The Safe Practice PodcastBy Dr Maria Li