Medi-Nav Orientation Resource v6, 2024

| 3 to disclose confidential information about a person unless one of the exceptions in Part 7 of the HHB Act applies. ‘Confidential information’ is information that could identify someone who has received, or is receiving public health sector health service (i.e. a patient), including deceased persons. The privacy rules that apply to public sector health agencies under the IP Act are subject to the requirements of other laws that specifically detail how personal information shall be collected, stored/ secured, used, disclosed and disposed of. A breach of the duty of confidentiality in section 142 of the HHB Act or provisions in the IP Act may be dealt with as staff disciplinary matters under the Code of Conduct. Each HHS has Privacy and Confidentiality Contact Officers (PCCOs) in place to manage privacy complaints or enquiries. For further information, refer to the Privacy and Right to Information intranet site: https://qheps.health.qld.gov.au/csd/business/records-and-information-management/privacy-rti ( accessible only on Queensland Health computers) 4.8 Informed Decision-Making and Consent Informed consent is an integral component of the provision of quality, patient-centred healthcare. Queensland Health is committed to providing support to their health practitioners and patients around informed consent. Informed consent means that a patient has received the information relevant to them to make an informed decision and they have given permission for the healthcare service to be provided. All health practitioners must obtain consent from an appropriate decision-maker before touching (examining) or providing health care to adult and child patients, except in a limited number of circumstances where that is not possible. Generally, the law does not require consent in writing and in many cases, it can be verbal or simply implied. Verbal consent may be appropriate for health care that carries no significant risks to the patient. For example, the insertion of an intravenous cannula into a peripheral vein, or a dental filling under local anaesthetic. Written consent is advisable for: + any health care which carries significant risks to the patient + where doubt exists about the patient’s capacity to consent + where the health care is controversial. Refer to your employing HHS for local policy/guideline documents on consent and informed decision-making. Junior doctors are encouraged to initiate a discussion with their supervising registrar or senior medical officer to clarify their expectations and boundaries of your role in receiving consent from patients. | 57