The scope of a hospital’s duty of care relating to older people and hospital discharge remains a source of confusion for clinicians and a lack of clarity can unwittingly lead to poor outcomes for many older people. Misunderstandings of, or lack of knowledge about, the changes to the law and the embedding of rights, dignity of risk and supported decision-making in every interaction confound this issue.
These six fact sheets assist health professionals understand duty of care and its application in practice including how it inter-relates to rights, risk and decision-making.
The aim of the facts sheets is to protect older people’s rights and autonomy so they can live the life they want to the full extent possible, whilst also enabling health professionals to meet contemporary legal and policy expectations. They address common questions in practice.